Indian light tank Zorawar begins trials, expected to be ready for user tests by April

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New Delhi [India], January 12 (ANI): The development trials of the light tank Zorawar have already started and the DRDO is expected to hand it over to the Indian Army for further testing by April this year.

“The light tank with its new engine has started in our development cum production partner’s facilities. The tank has been moved around for more than 100 kilometres, and it is expected to be given to the Indian Army by April this year,” defence officials told ANI.

The Army has given orders for producing and supplying 59 Zorawar light tanks to DRDO, which is producing them with its partners Larsen and Toubro.
The light tank was earlier supposed to be delivered to the Indian Army by December for trials in deserts and high-altitude locations but due to engine supply delays from Germany, the project has been delayed.

The Indian Army will also be holding a competition for buying 295 more light tanks under a different programme, for which six to seven firms are offering their light tanks.

The mega project is being fully supported by the Indian Army, which is working with private sector firms to produce world-class weapon systems.


The light tank project is being undertaken by the Indian Army to improve its mobility and manoeuvring abilities in the Ladakh sector, where the Chinese have also brought in their light tanks in large numbers, they said.

To tackle threats from China, the Indian Army mooted the idea of having similar abilities. The project was cleared recently by the Defence Acquisition Council.

DRDO is working with L&T on the project to build the 25-tonne light tank, which would be capable of moving fast and easily in the high mountainous terrain. The project would be undertaken under the Make in India initiative. (ANI)
 
we should first get the best light tanks from Russia or USA with best cutting edge technology in limited numbers off the shelf ASAP and try to produce same in india with help of likes of L&T or TATA & MAHINDRA in a parellel programme ..... in short speed up this programme
 
Can't wait to see this beast completes all the tests and is deployed in mountains of ladakh.....
 
if ZORAWAR is ready for trials, then why does the army want a competition for 295 more light tanks,

Its completely stupid to waste time and money on testing 7 different tanks , not to mention the maintenance headache in operating just 59 Zorawar tanks if some foreign vendor ends up winning the larger contract

Indian army has 1950 T-72Ms which need replacement,
We should have ordered 500+ units of Zorawar and retire some of the older T72s
 
we should first get the best light tanks from Russia or USA with best cutting edge technology in limited numbers off the shelf ASAP and try to produce same in india with help of likes of L&T or TATA & MAHINDRA in a parellel programme ..... in short speed up this programme

Guruji woh zamana gaya.

This is the new reality and India has already passed that stage to depend on others for equipments like tanks, APC, MPV, Artillery Guns, SPG Guns. All these are now produced with world class standers in India itself by Indians either privet or IFB or DRDO.

Scenario has rapidly changed in past 10 years.

Mark my words T-90, K-9, and even Rafaels are some of last equipments in class to be imported from abroad.

This windows has closed just before our eyes.

Only bone of contentions are Large Air Crafts like Transport Planes CJ-130, C-17 & P-8, and diesel submarines PI-75i (just to get latest technology).

Apart from some Big Ticket Equipements all will be DESIGNED and "Made in India".

And also note the time line of Zorawar - conceptualized in 2021 and ready for trial by year ended in 2023.

From Concept to Product for testing just in 2 years.


Guruji just fell the pace, its mind boggling.
 
Guruji woh zamana gaya.

This is the new reality and India has already passed that stage to depend on others for equipments like tanks, APC, MPV, Artillery Guns, SPG Guns. All these are now produced with world class standers in India itself by Indians either privet or IFB or DRDO.

Scenario has rapidly changed in past 10 years.

Mark my words T-90, K-9, and even Rafaels are some of last equipments in class to be imported from abroad.

This windows has closed just before our eyes.

Only bone of contentions are Large Air Crafts like Transport Planes CJ-130, C-17 & P-8, and diesel submarines PI-75i (just to get latest technology).

Apart from some Big Ticket Equipements all will be DESIGNED and "Made in India".

And also note the time line of Zorawar - conceptualized in 2021 and ready for trial by year ended in 2023.

From Concept to Product for testing just in 2 years.


Guruji just fell the pace, its mind boggling.
Bhoot ji zorawar needs at least 5-7 years minimum to get into mass production eve if TAT & Mahindra also make there designs public say in this week and all three designs are given next week to army for user trails

can army wait for 5 years ...???? .... no sir it cannot we need at least two to three regiments of light tanks for northern theater within next two years and if we dont get them and god forbid there is a misadventure who do you thing public will hold responsible ...?
 
Bhoot ji zorawar needs at least 5-7 years minimum to get into mass production eve if TAT & Mahindra also make there designs public say in this week and all three designs are given next week to army for user trails

can army wait for 5 years ...???? .... no sir it cannot we need at least two to three regiments of light tanks for northern theater within next two years and if we dont get them and god forbid there is a misadventure who do you thing public will hold responsible ...?

Mostly 1 to 1.5 years for testing and then production run.

It is that simple as that.
 
Bhoot ji zorawar needs at least 5-7 years minimum to get into mass production eve if TAT & Mahindra also make there designs public say in this week and all three designs are given next week to army for user trails

can army wait for 5 years ...???? .... no sir it cannot we need at least two to three regiments of light tanks for northern theater within next two years and if we dont get them and god forbid there is a misadventure who do you thing public will hold responsible ...?
If we must go for foreign light tanks from either Russia or USA then we must go for American tanks..... nowadays any major deal with Russia is destined to be delayed due to Russia own stupidity of Ukraine war..... look at S-400.... we received only 3 till date no guarantee of other 2.....

Russia will just eat our money and keep us waiting for decades now.....,
 
Mostly 1 to 1.5 years for testing and then production run.

It is that simple as that.
no sirji not that simple 1 to 1.5 years for user trails and then 6 months to a year for evaluating the best contemdor and then further year to award the contract and then two years for starting the production line and testing the product before getting the final product in service and thats the fastest while if they go for the latest version of russian upgraded light tank thats little over 18 tonne and with latest ERA & new upgrades like remote weponised staations for 7.62 gun it wont be more than 23 tonne fully loaded that too with a heavy 125mm cal gun

 
no sirji not that simple 1 to 1.5 years for user trails and then 6 months to a year for evaluating the best contemdor and then further year to award the contract and then two years for starting the production line and testing the product before getting the final product in service and thats the fastest while if they go for the latest version of russian upgraded light tank thats little over 18 tonne and with latest ERA & new upgrades like remote weponised staations for 7.62 gun it wont be more than 23 tonne fully loaded that too with a heavy 125mm cal gun


Guruji Russian Equipments are now no go area for India.

And India no longer want Russian dependencies, that chapter is closed now.

Hint : KA-25 & AK-103.

Sun has set.
 
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Guruji Russian Equipments are new no go area for India.

And India no longer want Russian dependencies, that chapter is closed now.

Hint : KA-25 & AK-203.

Sun has set.
thats right well i was saying we could go russian or US made or maybe a middle path by putting a unmanned Gun western turret on T72 chassis and mating them both

we have surplus T72s we can get them uggraded in house with new 1000 BHP engine and a western unmanned turret from israel or US or europe based supplier
 
If we must go for foreign light tanks from either Russia or USA then we must go for American tanks..... nowadays any major deal with Russia is destined to be delayed due to Russia own stupidity of Ukraine war..... look at S-400.... we received only 3 till date no guarantee of other 2.....

Russia will just eat our money and keep us waiting for decades now.....,

Sirji,

No meaningful frontline equipment is coming from America GE-414 has proved it.

M-777 was the last full equipment which are frontline equipment.

India refused for further order even for Apaches.
 
thats right well i was saying we could go russian or US made or maybe a middle path by putting a unmanned Gun western turret on T72 chassis and mating them both

we have surplus T72s we can get them uggraded in house with new 1000 BHP engine and a western unmanned turret from israel or US or europe based supplier

Lets see when "Future Tank Project" starts in India.

No future tanks available other then T-14 Armata.
 
Sirji,

No meaningful frontline equipment is coming from America GE-414 has proved it.

M-777 was the last full equipment which are frontline equipment.

India refused for further order even for Apaches.
But even this is the case with America still we should avoid going to Russians now.... they are hardly able to cater own requirements and buying weapons from Iran and North Korea..... they will just eat our advance payments to use it on their own war and keep us waiting..... henceforth except spares we should not at all buy anything Russian.....
 
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.
 

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