By Admin 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who went to Surat on a two-day visit to his home state Gujarat, first reached the L&T plant and took stock of the construction work of the Indian Army’s newest tank, Zorawar. These very light tanks, made with the help of DRDO, are to be made by the company by next year i.e. 2027 and are to be handed over to the Army and deployed on the China border.
The plant of big private defense company L&T is in Hazira near Surat. This is the same plant where K-9 guns have been manufactured for the Indian Army with the help of South Korea and have been deployed from LOC to LAC. In the year 2019, PM Modi also rode the K-9 cannon in the same plant. Now in this plant, the construction of extremely light tank Zoravar, prepared with the help of DRDO i.e. Defense Research and Development Organization, is going on. These tanks are being prepared for the army to be deployed in high altitude areas. These Zoravar tanks are being prepared especially for deployment in Eastern Ladakh.
‘Zoravar’ will climb mountains easily
During the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, the Army had no light tank to counter China’s K-15 light tank. In such a situation, the army had deployed old T-90 and T-72 tanks in eastern Ladakh. But to deploy these tanks at an altitude of 14-16 thousand kilometers, the army had to face a lot of difficulty with the help of the Indian Air Force. In such a situation, the army needed a light tank.
In the year 2024, DRDO had also displayed the proto version of this Zoravar tank to the world. According to the information, at present, trials of Zoravar are going on in extremely cold areas from the desert of Rajasthan to Ladakh. According to DRDO, by next year i.e. by 2027, the Indian Army will get this tank for deployment in Eastern Ladakh. In such a situation, its production is going on at a fast pace in Hazira near Surat. This is the reason why PM Modi reached Hazira and reviewed the construction work of this tank. For this, PM Modi also talked specifically to the officials of the companies about the FICV i.e. Furitistic Infantry Combat Vehicles being prepared by L&T.
‘Zorawar’ will be equipped with AI and anti-aircraft gun
Zoravar is a very light tank compared to other main battle tanks. According to DRDO, Zorawar tank is only 25 tonnes, which is only half of India’s existing tanks i.e. T-90 etc. The weight of these tanks is about 50 tons. Along with anti-aircraft gun, Zorawar tank will also be equipped with drone technology including artificial intelligence technology. The tank also has ATGM- Anti-Tank Guided Missile, 7.62 mm gun and a 12.7 remote control weapon system.
Zoravar is an ‘amphibious’ platform which will be able to cross rivers and streams easily. During an exercise two-three years ago, an Indian Army tank sank while crossing a river in eastern Ladakh, resulting in the loss of five soldiers. But Zorawar tank is being prepared to cross the extremely strong current of the river. The requirements demanded by the Army during field trials are also being included in this tank.
After whom was the tank named?
The Indian Army has named the light tank after the 19th century Dogra military general Zorawar Singh, who defeated the Chinese army in Tibet. According to DRDO, after the completion of the trials of Zorawar, the Defense Ministry and the Army will start the process of acquisition.
Initially, the Indian Army has prepared a plan to order 59 light tanks. However, the army needs a total of 354 such light tanks. It is clear that even though India’s relations with China are improving, the Indian Army is busy strengthening its preparations on the LAC (Line of Actual Control) adjacent to China. This is the reason why PM Modi reached Hazira and got information about the production of Zorawar tank from the company officials himself.
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