Zorawar LT

Zorawar
TypeLight tank
Place of originIndia
Service history
Used byIndian Army (ordered)
Production history
DesignerCombat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (DRDO)
Larsen & Toubro
Designed2022-2024
ManufacturerLarsen & Toubro
Produced2024
No. built1 prototype [1]
Specifications
Mass25 tonnes
Crew3
Main
armament
Cockerill 105 mm high-pressure rifled gun in customized Cockerill 3105 Turret[2][3]
Secondary
armament
1 × NSV 12.7mm AA MG on BEL RCWS
2 × side mounted ATGM
16 × 81mm Anti-thermal Anti-laser smoke grenade.[4][5]
EngineMTU 8V 199 TE21; 816 hp (600 kW) liquid-cooled turbocharged diesel engine[6][7] Alternatively, Cummins VTA903E-T760; 760 hp diesel engine[8][9][10]
Power/weight30-40 hp/tonne[11]
Maximum speed 70 km/h (43 mph)
35–40 km/h (22–25 mph) cross country[12]

The Zorawar is an Indian light tank design. It is designed to have a high power-to-weight ratio along with substantial firepower, protection, surveillance and communication capabilities. The Zorawar was designed to provide the Indian Army with the versatility to execute operations in varying terrain against diverse threats and equipment profiles of its adversaries.[13]

The tank is named for the 19th century Dogra General Zorawar Singh.[14]

  1. ^ "Army: Indigenously Developed 'Zorawar' Light Tank to Begin Trials Later This Month". the Wire. 16 November 2023.
  2. ^ "India's 'Zorawar' Light Tank, Designed For Operations On China Border, To Be Ready This Month For Trials In December". Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  3. ^ "L&T gets order to build prototype of light tank for Sino-India border". Business Standard. 14 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Battlefield Protection System" (PDF). Defence Research and Development Organisation. Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  5. ^ "81 mm Anti-thermal Anti-laser (AT-AL) Smoke Grenade". Defence Research and Development Organisation. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  6. ^ Dalip, Singh. "Light tank 'Zorawar' goes through test trial, likely to be inducted into Army by 2027". businessline. The Hindu. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Land Defense brochure" (PDF). MTU. Rolls-Royce Group. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. ^ "India unveils 'Zorawar' light tank". Janes. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  9. ^ Singh, Dalip (18 November 2023). "America's Cummins engine to power Zorawar tank after Germany fails to relax trade restrictions". businessline. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Cummins diesel engine import data of India from United States - 694 import shipments". Volza. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  11. ^ "India unveils 'Zorawar' light tank". Janes. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  12. ^ "India's Light Tank Project Zorawar a Counter to China's Type 15 Deployment in the Himalayas". Indian Defence News. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  13. ^ "'Zorawar' is India's answer to increased armoured threat on the Northern borders". TNIE. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  14. ^ "DRDO light tank 'Zorawar' to be ready for trials by year-end along China border". ET. Retrieved 16 July 2023.