India’s indigenous Zorawar Light Battle Tank (LBT) represents a pragmatic evolution in defence manufacturing, blending lessons from past armour programmes—especially the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT)—with a more efficient, collaborative approach to indigenisation.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the Combat Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) in partnership with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at its Hazira plant, the Zorawar aims to fill a critical operational void in the Indian Army’s arsenal.
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Rapid And Targeted Development
Conceived after the strategic challenge posed by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, the Zorawar programme moved rapidly from sanction to prototype. The first prototype was unveiled in July 2024 at Hazira and swiftly put through demanding trials in desert conditions. It impressed with its mobility and firing accuracy, meeting all predefined objectives while demonstrating the capability to engage targets with precision and reliability. After successful internal trials in December 2024, it is set to enter comprehensive user trials by the Indian Army from August 2025, with an ambitious induction timeline aiming for 2027.
The second prototype, incorporating user feedback—improving suspension, cooling, and situational awareness systems—will roll out by September 2025. Notably, private sector involvement has been central, with Bharat Forge contributing to this phase, marking a departure from the earlier state-sector–dominated Arjun programme.
Design Philosophy: Blending Indigenisation And Foreign Collaboration
The Zorawar emphasizes indigenisation without dogmatism, informed by the protracted and sometimes contentious Arjun MBT journey. While Arjun was initially shaped by a drive for full domestic development, this led to delays, cost overruns, and reliance on imported key subsystems like engines, transmissions, and fire-control systems. In contrast, the Zorawar design is a hybrid: its indigenous hull and systems are complemented by foreign-sourced critical components secured through co-development agreements. Key examples include:
Firepower: The 105mm Cockerill 3105 turret, co-developed by John Cockerill Defence (Belgium) and India’s Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics, is tailored for Indian Army requirements and will be manufactured domestically.
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Mobility: The tank is powered by a Cummins American-built engine (initially 760hp, scalable to 1,000hp) with RENK transmission. There’s a strategic push for local assembly of these engines.
Protection And Situational Awareness: Zorawar features advanced active protection systems, modular add-on armour, and AI-enabled control systems to navigate difficult terrains, from deserts to high-altitude mountains.
The tank’s weight of 25 tons, amphibious capabilities, and airlift compatibility allow rapid deployment in mountainous and riverine regions — a crucial necessity along the contested Himalayan frontier.
Comparing Arjun And Zorawar
While the Arjun ultimately consisted of many imported subsystems (including its German engine and foreign fire-control modules), the Zorawar is transparent about its foreign reliance but secures technology transfer and Indian production wherever feasible. The result is a faster, more agile development process. The Army has already committed to an initial order of 59 tanks out of a projected total of 354 units, with user trials expected to last 12–18 months and full induction targeted for 2027.
Transformative Outcome
The Zorawar LBT directly addresses operational gaps in India’s high-altitude deployments, providing the Army with a modern, agile tank to counter new-generation Chinese light armour along the Line of Actual Control. Its success—and the process underpinning its development—signals a maturing Indian defence ecosystem that balances national capability-building with timely collaboration, learning from past setbacks to deliver results that align with contemporary military needs.
If the Zorawar achieves its objectives in scheduled trials and production, it will become a benchmark for India’s future indigenous defence projects, setting new standards for speed, collaboration, and adaptive procurement in a geopolitically tense environment.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
Agency
