Zorawar light tank Mk1 production will begin with a first batch of about 18 tanks carrying a slightly lower level of protection, with the rest of the initial order to follow at a higher level, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Sunday.

The Army has agreed to the phased plan, he said. It covers the first 59 tanks of the indigenous design.

Speaking at a defence conclave in New Delhi, the Defence Secretary described the plan as a middle path worked out between the ministry and the Army. "So we tried to find a middle way. As I mentioned, my role now gives me the chance to mediate some of these differences," he said.

Why the Zorawar light tank Mk1 comes first

The initial order was meant to be 59 tanks. Under the new plan, about 18 will come first with lighter protection, and the balance will be built to the higher standard.

"What we are hoping to do is do an initial Mark 1 which has a certain level of capability," the Defence Secretary added.

The early order also keeps the production partner busy on the programme. According to the Defence Secretary, the Mk1 batch is meant to ensure that Larsen and Toubro (L&T) does not lose heart and stop work on the tank. L&T is expected to receive an order for about 18 tanks soon. "So I think the Army has pretty much agreed to that, so we hope to take this forward in that manner," he said.

He linked the change to the way requirements grow during development. "You start with a certain level of requirements, then somewhere down the line you want something more, which delays the induction process," he said.

From Hazira to Nyoma in two years

The Zorawar was designed by DRDO's Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), with L&T as the system integrator. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) supplied several subsystems.

The project was approved in March 2022. The tank was unveiled on July 6, 2024, at L&T's Hazira plant in Gujarat, less than two years later, which is a fast pace for a new armoured vehicle in India. The sanctioned cost for design, development and one prototype was Rs 234.5 crore, according to a Defence Ministry reply in the Lok Sabha in July 2024.

At about 25 tonnes, the Zorawar is roughly half the weight of the Army's T-72 and T-90 tanks, which lose engine power at high altitude. Two Zorawars can be flown in a single Indian Air Force C-17 heavy transport aircraft.

DRDO completed the first phase of developmental field firing trials in desert terrain in September 2024. The tank has since completed trials above 4,200 metres at Nyoma in Ladakh.

The need comes from the Line of Actual Control, where China fields its Type-15 light tank.

What the heavier version may carry

According to reports, the better-protected version, referred to as the Zorawar Mk2, is expected to get STANAG Level 6 armour on its front, with side protection capable of reaching Level 5B.

That armour is expected to stop 25 mm and 30 mm armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds fired from 500 metres. The tank is also expected to get an Active Protection System (APS) and built-in Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) jammers to disable enemy drones.

All this adds weight. Reports put the addition at 5 to 7 tonnes, taking the tank to around 30 to 32 tonnes.

DRDO planned for this from the start. According to earlier reporting, the design can take a weight of up to 35 tonnes through future upgrades, and extra armour was factored in at the design stage.

The engine question

Current prototypes run on the Cummins VTA903E-T760 diesel engine, rated at 760 horsepower. The same engine is expected to power the Mk1 tanks.

The heavier version will need more power. Cummins has offered its 1,000 hp Advanced Combat Engine with transfer of technology so that it can be built in India, according to reports. DRDO has already developed an 800 hp engine for the programme and is said to be working on its own 1,000 hp unit, which could be based on an uprated version of that engine. Talks are also being held with Indian manufacturers on a new engine, and a final choice for the Mk2 has not been announced.

Indian industry already supplies power systems for existing armour. This month the Defence Ministry signed a Rs 586 crore contract with Accurate Industrial Controls for Auxiliary Power Units on T-72 and T-90 tanks.

Two routes to 354 light tanks

The Zorawar light tank Mk1 batch is one part of a larger plan. The Army needs about 354 light tanks, and the first 59 were nominated to DRDO and L&T. That initial order covers less than a fifth of the total.

The Make-I competition for 295 tanks

The remaining 295 tanks are being sought through a separate Make-I competition. Under this route, the government funds up to 70 percent of prototype development costs.

According to reports, Tata Advanced Systems emerged as the lowest bidder in the programme, reportedly worth about Rs 20,000 crore, and must deliver two prototypes within 130 weeks. The selection took three years and was delayed further by objections from a rival bidder, which were later found to be invalid.

Mahindra Defence, the second-lowest bidder, will also build a prototype.