Indian Army’s New Light Tank “Zorawar’ for high altitude warfare

Indian Army’s New Light Tank “Zorawar’ for high altitude warfare

Indian Army has started deploying India’s new light Tank “Zorawar’ along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Indian Army will deploy the Zorawar Tank for extensive trials to test its capabilities for high-altitude warfare. This decision was taken by the security experts of India considering the increasing security threat posed by the Chinese Army along the high altitude regions such as Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. Zorawar Tank has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) considering the needs of the Indian Army for high-altitude warfare. Zorawar Tank is fitted with advanced weapons and sensors which make it a very lethal machine on the battlefield. In this article, we will discuss the Indian Army’s New Light Tank Zorawar and its capabilities and application.

 

Why This Tank has been named as “Zorawar”?

The Zorawar is named after Zorawar Singh Kahluria, a 19th-century military general who served under Jammu's Raja Gulab Singh and was popularly known as the "conqueror of Ladakh".

 

Why Indian Army need a Light Tank?

Indian Army already operated T-90 Bhisma and Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun. India has enough firepower to counter Chinese Tanks but India lacks in high-altitude tank warfare. High Altitude Warfare requires highly maneuverable and lightweight tanks, but the current tanks that India has underperform in these two crucial aspects. Zorawar will fill this gap and provide potent firepower even in high-altitude regions like Ladakh. China has already placed its mechanized fleet in this strategically important location and in the absence of armored support, Indian defence in this region might face difficulties.

Capabilities and Application of Zorawar Tank

Zorawar is going to be a force multiplier for the Indian Army in the high-altitude region. Zorawar is equipped with advanced weaponry and sensors. Zorawar weighs 25 tonnes, and the power-to-weight ratio will be 30 HP per tonne – meeting the Indian Army's norms. The lightweight feature of this Tank helps it in paradropping this tank.

 

Specifications of the Zorawar Tank
Crew	03 (commander, gunner, and driver)
Fire Power	105 mm main gun capable of firing APDS and HESH ammunition
Armour	Active Protection System
Operational Range	300 km
Communication and connectivity	Hybrid Intertial/GPS Navigation
Engine	750 HP Cummins engine

 

Overall, the Indian Army’s Zorawar Tank is going to be a game changer for the Indian Army in the high-altitude region. Its high maneuverability and firepower will effectively counter the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control. Zorawar Tank is an example of Indian Defence Technology advancing in defence technology and in the near future we will witness a lot of technologically sophisticated platforms like Zorawar.