Light tanks for Indian Army

Blademaster

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I would think that if Kalyani secures a sufficiently large order they might go for complete local production.
 

Anandhu Krishna

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What kind of morons run IA procurement and MoD? You have to give total requirements upfront to industry, wtf is this ‘maybe later down the road we may order some more’ bs?

what sector would operate like this?

these clowns only want/know off the shelf imports
Lets not forget that until 2 years ago they didn't even know thay needed Light Tanks.
 

WolfPack86

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Indian Army concerned over Chinese moves at LAC, may induct 700 Zorawar Light Tanks
New Delhi:
The Indian Army’s Request for Information (RFI) for the Zorawar light tank, which the DRDO is developing along with private sector company L&T, initially called for 354 of the vehicles, but given the length and breadth of the LAC and LOC, the Indian Army may ultimately want to purchase close to 700 light tanks.

Since the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China started mass production of the Type 15 tank light tanks in 2015, around 500 have reportedly been inducted into service. The growing conflicts with India have undoubtedly led to an increase in procurement.

The PLA of China has been trying to establish hotspots against the Indian Army not just in Ladakh but also in Uttarakhand, Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh.

In order to provide stronger firepower in high-altitude areas, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has been introducing light tanks, which may make it necessary for the Indian Army to purchase more Zorawar Light Tanks than it had initially expected.

The Indian Army may approve a request to authorise a second production line, either by a private sector enterprise or through a public-private partnership, to assure greater production lines of the tank in order to ensure timely delivery in addition to the acquisition of more Zorawar light tanks.

To increase its offensive capabilities, the Indian Army is also interested in purchasing futuristic infantry combat vehicles (FICV). To keep costs down, the same defence partners may be selected while preserving a shared modular platform.
 

Tshering22

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Private players are just going to do Screwdrivergiri (Kalyani) with foreign products. Army and babus get kickbacks, Private company gets orders. Government gets to say that they ordered from Indian company.

We end up paying for 2 different designs for 350 units. They are going to do logistics for that at LAC. What a joke.
It's better to start somewhere than nowhere. Wonder if Kalyani just buys Paramount Group. That's the only way we will get some R&D in the country.
 

abingdonboy

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7 regiments sanctioned, 1 ear marked for DRDO/L&T, other 6 for local players tied up with foreign OEMs

as mentioned above- corporate wars have begun indeed. This is all just a game to satisfy the pockets of the maximum number of foreign players as possible, you couldn’t make a more uneconomical and inherently flawed program. MoD doesn’t exist to secure india but line the pockets of certain players, what’s shocking is how blatant they will do this stuff.Parliamentary oversight? What’s that?
 

Sachinananda

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A lot of confusion going on regarding zorawar and all other sources are adding more confusion to it
According to me zorawar project is to build a light tank developed by drdo and l&t and last manufactured by l&t
It's gonna have Cockrell turret and German engine but indigenous Hull
And drdo has developed it at,east on paper and given l&t the order to build the prototype


Is this right?
 

Corvus Splendens

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A lot of confusion going on regarding zorawar and all other sources are adding more confusion to it
According to me zorawar project is to build a light tank developed by drdo and l&t and last manufactured by l&t
It's gonna have Cockrell turret and German engine but indigenous Hull
And drdo has developed it at,east on paper and given l&t the order to build the prototype


Is this right?
The hull is planned to be shared with the new IFV in development. Turret will be Cockerill 3105. L&T only gets to build 40-50 tanks despite being the primary development partner, because sharks smelled blood and wanted their pound in flesh. Engine might be an MTU MT 881 making 1000hp.
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WolfPack86

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INDIA'S LIGHT TANK PROJECT ZORAWAR A COUNTER TO CHINA'S TYPE 15 DEPLOYMENT IN THE HIMALAYAS
In light of India and China’s territorial dispute over Ladakh, New Delhi has established a significant military presence in the region. Because the vast, open valleys of Eastern Ladakh are perfect for tank engagements, the Indian army has deployed many main battle tanks (MBTs) and armoured vehicles in reaction to China’s aggressive operations.

In the event of a deterioration in the situation, the Indian command expects Chinese units to attempt to gain Indian territory by advancing via the river basins of Ladakh. The Indus River flows from China-controlled Tibet via Ladakh and into Pakistan. Indian units in this region practised river crossing skills during recent exercises. Military transport planes such as the Il-76 and C-17 have flown T-90S Bhishma, T-72M1 Ajeya, and BMP to the region located at an altitude of about 5,000 metres.

However, operating tanks in the area presents several challenges. Tank operations are complicated by weight and climate. The low air pressure at high altitudes reduces the performance of the tank power plants, and crews must activate the engines for up to 30 minutes every two to three hours to prevent their components from freezing.

China has addressed these issues by deploying Type-15 light tanks (VT5 ZTQ-15) in the Himalayas, explicitly designed for mountainous terrain. Type-15 is a “new” Chinese military product introduced in 2016. It is designed to provide infantry and light armoured vehicles with direct support during hostile position assaults. Speed and manoeuvrability were prioritised during its development at the expense of armour and armament.

The light tank Type-15 can operate at high altitudes due to its powerful engine and oxygen generators. In contrast, heavily armoured vehicles such as the MBTs T-72 and T-90 confront difficulties due to oxygen deficiency. According to the publication, its lightweight and high power-to-weight ratio make it more mobile than heavy tanks.

The Type-15 is armed with a 105mm rifled cannon with automatic loading and a 38-round ammunition capacity, a remotely controlled 12.7mm machine gun, and a 40mm grenade launcher. It can attain 70 km/h on paved roads and 40 km/h off-road. Passive explosive reactive armour (ERA) pieces reinforce the tank’s standard steel construction on the turret and sides. Additionally, it can be fitted with an active protection system (APS) manufactured in China.

The Type-15 is equipped with cutting-edge electronics, such as a laser rangefinder, night vision and infrared optics, a warning sensor system, satellite communication, and inertial and satellite navigation systems.

The hydro-pneumatic suspension of the tank enables the cannon to be elevated to greater vertical angles than conventional tanks, which is advantageous for engaging targets in high-altitude combat conditions.

Western observers estimate China has approximately 500 Type-15 tanks in its arsenal. Their deployment in the Himalayas has revealed deficiencies in India’s armoured arsenal, which largely relies on MBTs less suited for high-altitude operations.

Project Zorawar

Since 1989, when the Soviet PT-76 was phased out of service, the Indian Army has lacked light tanks. It utilises MBTs weighing between 58 and 68 tonnes, such as the T-90S Bhishma, T-72M1 Ajeya, and Arjun. These tanks were acquired in response to the threat posed by Pakistan and are better adapted for open plains and deserts.

Since 1983, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has made intermittent attempts to develop a new light tank, but none of the initiatives have been completed. In 2020, however, the fighting in Ladakh prompted a renewed effort to obtain a light tank.

In 2021, the Indian Ministry of Defence said it intends to acquire 350 light tanks. These vehicles should weigh no more than 25 tonnes, have a 105 mm gun and have a crew of two to three people. Additional requirements include an automatic-loading, remotely-controlled machine gun, the capability to discharge “smart” ammunition and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and the ability to mount explosive reactive armour (ERA) blocks. Tanks must operate in High Altitude Areas (HAA) and marginal terrain such as Rann and conduct amphibious operations.

Initially, it was speculated that India would acquire the 2S25 Sprut-SDM1 from Russia, which had offered to transfer the requisite production technologies. Its 125 mm gun has commonality with the T-72. The Russians additionally offered a lightweight T-90 Tank with commonalities to the T-90S Bhishma tanks deployed in significant numbers by the Indian Army. Hanwha Defence, a South Korean company, was reportedly also poised to offer the IA its K21-105 Light Tank. This tank’s 105mm main cannon can engage targets from an elevation of 42 degrees to a depression of 10 degrees, indicating its versatility in mountainous terrain. The Indian government, however, expressed a preference for a domestic tank under Project Zorawar. The Zorawar project is named after General Zorawar Singh, who reclaimed Ladakh from Chinese dominion in the early nineteenth century.

Late in 2022, the Ministry of Defence authorised the purchase of 315 tanks, which would comprise seven regiments, with the option to increase the order to nearly 700 tanks. In April 2023, the government awarded the Indian firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) a contract to construct the prototype of the new equipment. L&T had been named the government’s partner in developing the new equipment. It will be outfitted with an MTU 800 horsepower engine, Renk transmission and a 105mm gun manufactured by the Belgian company John Cockerill.

According to Indian officials, the first tanks will be available for testing by the end of the year, with an initial order of 59 units.

 

WolfPack86

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UKRAINE WAR DELAYS INDIA'S INDIGENOUS ZORAWAR TANK PROJECT
NEW DELHI:
The continuing war between Russia and Ukraine is delaying India’s ambitious project to manufacture Zorawar light tanks, as the war, now in its 19th month, has choked the supply chain for defence components.

Sources said the delay is due to the inability of a few foreign countries to supply critical components needed to manufacture the tanks. Foreign-supplied “electronic, electrical components and engine” are critical for Project Zorawar.

The push to make Zorawar tanks comes amid a continuing threat along the northern border with China. Light tanks are needed to address sector-specific operational requirements, sources said.

The indigenous Zorawar tanks will be designed to operate from a high-altitude area, marginal lands and island territories.

“A lightweight agile platform with a high-power-to-weight ratio and substantial firepower, protection, surveillance, and communication capabilities is essential to provide the Indian Army the versatility to execute operations in varying terrains,” a source said.

Zorawar tanks are expected to weigh about 25 tons. The Army’s MBT Arjun tank weighs around 60 tons, T-90 tanks around 48 tons and T-70 around 45 tons.
 

Johny_Baba

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Entire light tank saga,

i fucking remember when choyna had shown their Type-15 and Doklam bakchodi happened i was advocating for our own light tanks on teligram, sadly those chats got deleted by some other members by mistake but @aditya10r can vouch he was there - and some other members kept reminding me WE HAB DEPLOYED TIN-72 IN HIMALAYAN REGIONS WE NO NEED LIGHT TANKS HURR DURR 🤷‍♂️

then galwan and further pangong tso lake things happened and i further said we need light tanks but...TIN-72 IN LADAKH VROO....

and once we got a bloody nose in galwan+pangong tso incident etc the army got sudden ;gyaan; that they need Light Tanks and this Zoravar project was being prepped up 😒

worse it when we already were manufacturing that L7 105mm cannon that powered so many tanks and fighting vehicles with guns we are IMPOOOORTING some same calibre cockerill 105mm turret with muh autoloader and hurr durr...nigah just put these ammo-pusher drives things from existing tech we have here from Tin-72, Tin-90ASS productions etc on a modernized Vijayanta turret etc put some electronics sensors cameras etc whatever you want and get done with it

Same thing can AND SHOULD also be put on WhAP platform to make Stryker M1128 MGS like vehicle here but... 🤷‍♂️
 

standard snowball

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So what's going on with our light tanks.

Wasn't Zorawar expected to be rolled out by the end of this year.
 

SwordOfDarkness

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The hull is planned to be shared with the new IFV in development. Turret will be Cockerill 3105. L&T only gets to build 40-50 tanks despite being the primary development partner, because sharks smelled blood and wanted their pound in flesh. Engine might be an MTU MT 881 making 1000hp.
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AFAIK german engine is out, because they were arm twisting on price... New Cummins engine with 1000HP
 

Corvus Splendens

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AFAIK german engine is out, because they were arm twisting on price... New Cummins engine with 1000HP
Could've done this years back. Since WhAP is already using Cummins turbo diesels. Now if MoD can negotiate for the ACE series, would be nice.
 

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