Nah German hardware has been on a decline. It's overpriced and maintenance heavy. The Americans are pretty much the leader here. What would I really like from the Germans would be AMAP/MEXAS armour and the license production of l/55. That's it really. Their engine tech is meh compared to the Americans.
Zorawar: Light tank for Indian army
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
And to add to both your points, Cummins also have their whole infra set-up here. They deliver engines to all Tata trucks.
Awesome decision by IA
Highly possible.
It should be noted that the German suppliers had no issue with selling engines for the Arjun (which, thanks to its weight is almost completely limited to the plains i.e. Western theatre), but the Light Tank is exclusively intended for the LAC and for this they probably have reservations about supplying.
This is why I keep saying we cannot count on the Europeans when it comes to going up against China. They have no interest & no wherewithal to jeopardize their economic relationship with the PRC for our sake. Whatever happens in the INDOPAC is fine for them as long as the shipping routes are operational.
Germany/EU absolutely cannot be counted upon...the French have relatively more independence in deciding their foreign policy (they are not as exposed to international trade as Germany is) but if it comes down to whether they're going to act against the obvious economic interests of the EU for our sake, I wouldn't bank on it too much. Yes, France unlike the rest of EU has active interests & territories in the INDOPAC, but they are still secondary to their primary interest which is Europe.
We are right in wanting to localize as much of the maintenance & repair infrastructure of foreign-origin platforms as possible.
Also to add the Germans sold the Chinese their most modern version of the MTU 873 engine while they gave us the MTU 838 for the Arjun's. Their type 99's run on MTU 873 based engine tech.
Indian light tank for high altitude operations to be ready this month
The first indigenously designed and developed light tank that will be capable of operating at high altitudes to counter Chinese armoured deployments is likely to be ready for trials by this month end.
Developed in record time, the light tank will undergo a series of trials in December as work on the prototype is nearing completion. The need for a light tank - in the 25 tonne category - was felt after tensions built up in eastern Ladakh in 2020 and China deployed light armour at high altitude locations.
Sources said that the Indian tank - tentatively named Zorawar by the Army - will have more mobility and higher accuracy fire power than the Chinese Type 15 tanks deployed on the Ladakh border.
The brand new tank, which features a 105 mm gun, was approved for development in April 2022 with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) choosing Larsen and Toubro (L&T) as its partner for the project.
Sources said that contrary to earlier reports, the tank is a brand new design with a unique chassis that has been developed indigenously. It does not rely on the K9 Vajra self-propelled gun chassis that is already being manufactured in India.
The weight of the tank has been kept at 25 tonnes to cater to higher mobility at extreme altitudes and will feature a 105 mm gun made by John Cockerill. For serial production of the tanks, this gun is likely to be produced in India. The tank is also likely to feature active protection against incoming attacks as well as an integrated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that will greatly enhance battlefield visibility.
The tank will be tasked to operate in all terrain from high altitude area to island territories and will be air transportable for rapid deployment.
They showed a model of the tank with specs, don't think much will be changed, other than the engine.
59 is the minimum number promised by the IA for initial production. For the rest DRDO and L&T will have to participate in the bidding. Chances are they will win.
With an eye on Ladakh, DRDO begins testing new light tank
During April and May, an indigenous light tank that the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing, will commence “development trials” in the brutal summer heat of Rajasthan’s Thar desert.
These trials, which will be followed by “user trials”, are to confirm whether the Indian tank is a match for the Chinese ZTQ-15 light tank, which it could face in battle in the high altitude deserts of Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim.
The tank has been named Zorawar, after the 19th century general who conquered Ladakh and Baltistan for his Dogra overlords.
New Delhi decided in 2020 to design, develop and manufacture some 300-500 light tanks after hundreds of Chinese soldiers of the People Liberation Army (PLA), supported by tanks and artillery, intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh. They remain there even after 20 rounds of talks between senior military commanders from both sides.
The Indian Army has airlifted close to 200 tanks to Ladakh but the PLA enjoys an advantage. Indian tank units struggle to move their underpowered, Russian-origin T-72 tanks over 17,500 feet high passes. In contrast, China’s ZTQ-15 light tanks, which weigh just 33-tonnes (36 tonnes with additional slap-on armour), move through the 14,000 feet-high valleys with far greater ease.
The ZTQ -15’s 1,000 Horse Power (HP) Norinco engines, generate power-to-weight ratios of more than 30 HP per tonne – adequate even for that oxygen-depleted altitude.
In contrast, India’s 42-tonne T-72s, with their underpowered 780 HP engines, offer a power-to-weight ratio of just 18.5 HP per tonne. The mobility of the larger T-72s is further constrained by Ladakh’s narrow roads and small bridges.
India’s tank designers envisioned two options for a light tank. Both would have hulls and engines based on the K-9 Vajra – a 28-tonne, tracked gun that L&T built for the army at its Talegaon plant near Pune with technology transferred from South Korea’s Hanwha Defence. After L&T delivered the 100 guns on order, the army is ordering another 100.
There were two options, however, for the light tank’s turret. In one, the K-9 Vajra’s 155 mm artillery gun turret would be replaced by a T-90 tank turret with a heavy 125 mm tank gun. However, the 8-9-tonne T-90 tank turret, mounted on the 28-tonne chassis, took the weight of the light tank to an unacceptable 36-37 tonnes.
The second option involved replacing the K-9 Vajra’s turret with a smaller one, fitted with a 105 mm direct firing, 105 mm gun. This would be procured, ready-built, from Belgian firm John Cockerill, violating the defence ministry’s “Make in India” norms.
With the defence ministry insisting on going indigenous, the DRDO decided to build its own hull and to import engines from MTU Germany. But the German government, after first giving permission to export the engines to India, then withheld the licence, causing a one-year delay in the project.
Eventually, the DRDO decided to power the Zorawar light tank with an indigenous, 750 HP Cummins engine, which would be coupled with a German Renk transmission. If the weight of the Zorawar is kept below 25 tonnes, the power-to-weight ratio will be 30 HP per tonne – meeting the Indian Army’s norms. Furthermore, with the Cummins engine being manufactured in India, the “Make in India” norm would be met.
The turret of the Zorawar light tank presented an even more challenging task. But DRDO officials say that, once it was decided to indigenise the turret, their experience in designing the Arjun tank turret proved invaluable.
Furthermore, designing the 105 mm tank gun proved well within the capabilities of the Kalyani Group. The Pune-based forgings giant is growing its metallurgical expertise, along with its role in developing the indigenous 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System.
So far, the army has placed orders for only 59 light tanks, some of which will be employed in user trials. These tanks will be manufactured by Larsen & Toubro which is playing the role of DRDO’s Design Cum Production Partner (DCPP) to the DRDO.
Graphic: Indian light tank’s specifications
During April and May, an indigenous light tank that the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing, will commence “development trials” in the brutal summer heat of Rajasthan’s Thar desert.
These trials, which will be followed by “user trials”, are to confirm whether the Indian tank is a match for the Chinese ZTQ-15 light tank, which it could face in battle in the high altitude deserts of Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim.
The tank has been named Zorawar, after the 19th century general who conquered Ladakh and Baltistan for his Dogra overlords.
New Delhi decided in 2020 to design, develop and manufacture some 300-500 light tanks after hundreds of Chinese soldiers of the People Liberation Army (PLA), supported by tanks and artillery, intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh. They remain there even after 20 rounds of talks between senior military commanders from both sides.
The Indian Army has airlifted close to 200 tanks to Ladakh but the PLA enjoys an advantage. Indian tank units struggle to move their underpowered, Russian-origin T-72 tanks over 17,500 feet high passes. In contrast, China’s ZTQ-15 light tanks, which weigh just 33-tonnes (36 tonnes with additional slap-on armour), move through the 14,000 feet-high valleys with far greater ease.
The ZTQ -15’s 1,000 Horse Power (HP) Norinco engines, generate power-to-weight ratios of more than 30 HP per tonne – adequate even for that oxygen-depleted altitude.
In contrast, India’s 42-tonne T-72s, with their underpowered 780 HP engines, offer a power-to-weight ratio of just 18.5 HP per tonne. The mobility of the larger T-72s is further constrained by Ladakh’s narrow roads and small bridges.
India’s tank designers envisioned two options for a light tank. Both would have hulls and engines based on the K-9 Vajra – a 28-tonne, tracked gun that L&T built for the army at its Talegaon plant near Pune with technology transferred from South Korea’s Hanwha Defence. After L&T delivered the 100 guns on order, the army is ordering another 100.
There were two options, however, for the light tank’s turret. In one, the K-9 Vajra’s 155 mm artillery gun turret would be replaced by a T-90 tank turret with a heavy 125 mm tank gun. However, the 8-9-tonne T-90 tank turret, mounted on the 28-tonne chassis, took the weight of the light tank to an unacceptable 36-37 tonnes.
The second option involved replacing the K-9 Vajra’s turret with a smaller one, fitted with a 105 mm direct firing, 105 mm gun. This would be procured, ready-built, from Belgian firm John Cockerill, violating the defence ministry’s “Make in India” norms.
With the defence ministry insisting on going indigenous, the DRDO decided to build its own hull and to import engines from MTU Germany. But the German government, after first giving permission to export the engines to India, then withheld the licence, causing a one-year delay in the project.
Eventually, the DRDO decided to power the Zorawar light tank with an indigenous, 750 HP Cummins engine, which would be coupled with a German Renk transmission. If the weight of the Zorawar is kept below 25 tonnes, the power-to-weight ratio will be 30 HP per tonne – meeting the Indian Army’s norms. Furthermore, with the Cummins engine being manufactured in India, the “Make in India” norm would be met.
The turret of the Zorawar light tank presented an even more challenging task. But DRDO officials say that, once it was decided to indigenise the turret, their experience in designing the Arjun tank turret proved invaluable.
Furthermore, designing the 105 mm tank gun proved well within the capabilities of the Kalyani Group. The Pune-based forgings giant is growing its metallurgical expertise, along with its role in developing the indigenous 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System.
So far, the army has placed orders for only 59 light tanks, some of which will be employed in user trials. These tanks will be manufactured by Larsen & Toubro which is playing the role of DRDO’s Design Cum Production Partner (DCPP) to the DRDO.
Graphic: Indian light tank’s specifications
| Basic configuration | |
| Combat weight | Not to exceed 25 tonnes |
| Crew | Two/three |
| Operating temperature | From high altitude terrain to desert terrain |
Fire power | |
| Main armament | 105 mm high pressure gun |
| Loading provisions | Automatic loader |
| Battlefield management | Should have Battlefield Management System (BMS) integrated |
Survivability | |
| Passive protection | STANAG Level 4 |
| Additional protection | Explosive Reactive Armour, soft kill measures, CBRN protection |
Mobility | |
| Power-to-weight ratio | Not less than 25:1 Horse Power/Tonne |
| Nominal ground pressure | Should be able to operate in marginal wetland soil |
| Fording/amph capability | Fording capability essential; amphibious capability desirable |
Yet to find the interview but hopefully there will be some more concrete news
Pune, Maharashtra: On Larsen & Toubro's Indian army light tank project, Advisor to CMD, L&T Jayant D. Patil says, "The concept of light tanks has been realised and is currently undergoing trials. DRDO and L&T came together for the development of the light tank. Each one of us could do it independently but it would have taken a long time. By coming together, this became the world's first battle tank from concept to building and getting in trials has happened in a record 19 months. Hopefully, this tank now started getting into higher and higher levels of involvement. As the COAS recently said, by this summer, this tank will be in Army trials and we are looking forward to it. We are currently maturing the tanks through multiple trials, building their reliability through a lot of running..."
Hoping for a quick induction after all successful user trials
Don't know why till now there isn't a single picture of the light tank anywhere.
Why are they keeping it under such wraps?
Why are they keeping it under such wraps?
Not giving a chance to army to reject it too soon because of the uncool look, maybe.
It's too early for a face reveal. It's in competition with other companies as well, for a larger order, after all.
BS …… show me any Chinese military hardware works according to the brochure. They work for propaganda only.
Didn't stop stuff like WhAP or ATAGS from showing their mugs.