Indian Light Tank: News & Discussion

[Rakesh]

Amidst India-China Thaw, Zorawar Light Tank To Begin Army Trials
https://www.livefistdefence.com/amidst- ... my-trials/
07 Sept 2025

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/wartrophy_414/status/1964405993321935331 ---> The side box launchers on the Zorawar turret are ATGM launchers.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/DefenceDecode/status/1967949493313364042 ---> Zorawar MLT cutout diagram.

[vonkabra]

Zorawar has undergone extensive trials in desert terrain. Could anyone provide clarity on why a tank meant for mountain operations needs to be tested in the desert? I could have understood if they tested it on the Eastern Front for Bangladesh-type terrain, but the desert??

DRDO successfully conducts first phase of field firing trials of Indian light tank ‘Zorawar’
https://ddnews.gov.in/en/drdo-successfu ... k-zorawar/
14 Sept 2024

[SRajesh]

^^ saar
The only thing I can think of is Tibet is an High altitude desert climate zone
Now you cannot create Low O2 levels but can have low temps early morning or late nights in the desert with temps falling
We probably dont have adequate terrain in Ladak for testing or want to keep it away from prying eyes

[vonkabra]

Ok, at least that has some logic to it...

[uddu]

DRDO Confirms Zorawar Light Tank's Adaptable Design, Paving the Way for More Powerful 32-ton Variant with 120mm Turret and 800hp Engine
https://defence.in/threads/drdo-confirm ... ine.13470/

zorawar-light-tank-set-for-indigenous-powertrain-upgrade-800hp-engine-and-local-transmission-to-replace-cummins
https://idrw.org/zorawar-light-tank-set ... e-cummins/

So there is a Zorawar MK2 weighing 32 tons, 800 hp Indigenous engine and 120mm gun.

[Manish_P]

Let's have weight increase on the light tanks and weight reduction on the main tanks

What next - the MK3 Medium weighing in at 40, the MK4 Main at 50 and the MK5 NG at 60 tons... oh wait.

[S_Madhukar]

I am already wondering if chassis is strong enough … looks like strong shoulders and skinny legs…

[uddu]

Zorawar MK1 will be inducted. MK2 is something that is being tried with the strong possibility of induction post trials. 120mm gun, light tank is very good especially you want a light tank deployed across regions. The 105mm gun is a compromise for Ladakh. If T-72 can be air transportable, the MK2 can also be done so provided, it will carry a single MK2 to Leh compared to 2 MK1s. Whereas this 800hp, 120mm gun variant can be mass produced and deployed across the western front. Will come in handy in many situations.

[uddu]

I am already wondering if chassis is strong enough … looks like strong shoulders and skinny legs…

Learning from Arjun experience, DRDO must have accommodated the need for 120mm gun. What if after trials IA asks for 120mm gun? or they are able to design a variant as quickly as the old one to have the 120mm one with modifications. Even for the NGMBT, DRDO is working to provide both 120mm and 125mm gun options to the IA. Two variants of the tank. 125mm variant with autoloader.
DRDO Advancing Next Generation Main Battle Tank (NGMBT) Smoothbore Gun For The Indian Army
https://www.indiandefensenews.in/2024/1 ... -main.html

[srin]

What is more important than a 120mm gun is a 30mm gun for an anti-drone vehicle

[Manish_P]

The squadron which goes out will probably not be a homogeneous one

It will have a mix of Anti-armor, anti-drone, anti-fortification,... units.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/NetramDefence/status/1973625727846338629 ---> UPDATE: Future Zorawar light tanks to get indigenous 800 hp engine. DRDO-CVRDE and Ashok Leyland-made engines will replace US Cummins engines, ending foreign dependency for critical tank components. 300 - 400 tanks planned by 2027.