With the experience of deploying armour at an altitude of 15,000 ft. to outmanoeuvre the movement of Chinese forces during the stand-off in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army is prioritising the procurement of the indigenous Indian light tank, aptly named ‘Zorawar’, for deployment in the mountains, in addition to inducting niche technologies like loitering munitions, anti-drone capabilities, and next generation Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, official sources said. These are part of the overarching modernisation being undertaken of the armoured corps and mechanised infantry.
“It will have equal firepower as the present tank, including missile firing. The power to weight ratio will make it very agile,” sources in the security establishment said. “The project is moving very, very well. The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from the Defence Acquisition Council is expected next month,” a source stated.
The recent experiences along the northern borders have shown that armour equipment profile is one of the most prominent factors in defining the operational capability of land forces, a source said, while noting that China has inducted a large number of state-of-the-art medium and light tanks. “This increased threat on the northern borders is likely to remain a threat in the foreseeable future,” the source said.
