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The Indian Army expects to induct the Zorawar light tank in 2028-29 after issues flagged during its development and trials are fixed, a move that will significantly boost the deployment speed and combat response of armoured regiments in the mountains, army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said.
“Issues noticed during development and testing are being addressed through the normal design refinement cycle. Based on present timelines, Zorawar’s induction is likely in the 2028-2029 timeframe, subject to successful completion of trials, user evaluation and production readiness,” Dwivedi said in an interview with HT.
The tank—earlier expected to be ready for induction in 2027—will strengthen the army’s posture against Chinese forces along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC). The tank has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Larsen & Toubro under Project Zorawar to meet the Indian Army’s requirement for 354 light tanks—a capability boost that is likely to cost around ₹17,500 crore.
Zorawar, a 25-tonne tank, is a major stride towards indigenous capability and reflects the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the army chief said. “It is being designed as a light, agile and technologically advanced armoured platform tailored for our terrain, especially high-altitude areas. The requirement is for a protected, mobile, manned-unmanned teaming-enabled platform with substantial firepower, surveillance and communication capabilities.”
Dwivedi made those comments in the interview on June 4, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the first prototype of the tank at L&T’s Hazira facility in Gujarat and was briefed on its capabilities. “The role played by L&T in furthering self-reliance in the defence sector is commendable,” the PM said on Friday.
Of the 354 tanks needed, DRDO-L&T will provide 59 and the remaining tanks will be built under a separate programme for which other companies will also compete. The light tank can be transported by air, perform amphibious operations, and fire at high angles of elevation to serve as limited artillery.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has inducted and fielded several modern tanks, including light tanks with a high power-to-weight ratio, along the LAC. The Indian Army has deployed scores of heavier Russian-origin T-72 and T-90 tanks in the Ladakh theatre, but they have their own limitations as they were designed for operations in plains and deserts.
The need for light tanks with adequate firepower, protection, surveillance and communication capabilities became apparent after the India-China border row began in 2020—disengagement of rival troops from all friction points in eastern Ladakh was completed four years later.
The tank has been named after the legendary general, Zorawar Singh, who led the Dogra forces a record six times, between 1834 and 1841, to victories in Ladakh and Tibet. In May 1841, he led a 5,000-strong Dogra force into Tibet and within weeks overran the Chinese forces and captured their Mantalai flag.
“We need Indian solutions for Indian challenges because our terrain, threat matrix and operational demands are unique,” Dwivedi said, adding that indigenisation is central to the army’s modernisation journey.
India’s geography and security environment is unique, spanning mountains, deserts, jungles, plains, riverine areas, island territories and long unsettled borders, the army chief said. “This demands preparedness across all five generations of warfare, from traditional contact battles to hybrid, non-contact, technology-driven and cognitive warfare,” he added.
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