DRDO's Zorawar light tank model at the Defexpo 2022. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)
Indiaʼs Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) showcased a scale model of Zorawar light tanks at the Defexpo 2022 held from 18 to 22 October in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The DRDO is developing Zorawar light tank with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for the Indian Army.
A DRDO official told Janes that the prototype of the new tank is expected to be unveiled in late 2023.
Jayant D Patil, L&T's senior executive vice-president for defence, told Janes on 16 September, “L&T is selected as a development partner as of now.”
He added that while the company is involved in the platform's development, L&T is not assured of a role in the tank's production phase.
“[The] Indian process cannot place development and production contracts in one,” he said. “Developed equipment has to undergo field evaluation trials and emerge successful for the induction clearance, and then [the] production ordering process begins.”
The Indian Army issued a request for information (RFI) to both Indian and foreign vendors in April 2021. The RFI signalled an intention to procure 350 locally manufactured light tanks for deployment in assorted terrain.
Janes assesses that the value of the programme will be worth up to USD900 million.
According to the RFI, the shortlisted vendor will retain ownership of the tank's design and technologies to further the Indian government's push to achieve material self-reliance.
The RFI states that the proposed vehicle will have a crew of two to three people, weigh no more than 25 tonne, and use a modular design.
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