Pooja Mahabadi , Pune
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) attains a milestone as Zorawar- The Indian Light Tank passes the initial phases of the field firing tests. This also displays India’s perseverance towards attaining self reliance in the nation’s Defense Technology.
One might wonder what is the great Indian Light Tank? Let us understand what this is before we dive into what DRDO is trying to achieve with this new technological weapon.
A Light Tank is designed for speed and mobility, it has a very light armour mostly equipped for reconnaissance and rapid assault. The machine’s lighter weight allows it to function on wider terrains and perform with greater agility compared to other heavy armoured weapons.
These trials started on the 13th September 2024, they were concluded successfully creating a huge milestone for DRDO.
In a post seen in X formerly known as Twitter, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Defence Minister Guwahati said that DRDO has done a great task completing the trials successfully, these conducted trials on Zorawar are a proof of the existence of exceptional collaboration DRDO has with the Indian Industry Aids in the development and growth of the domestic manufacturing unit of the country.
Zorawar is a very exceptional highly versatile tank, an excellent addition to the Defence Force of India perfect for deployment in high altitude areas keeping its light armor in mind, said a Press Release issued by the Ministry of Defence.
The 25- tonne tanker is specially designed by DRDO’s Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) in partnership with Larsen and Tourbo (L&T). The project received contributions from the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) , greatly displaying the involvement of the industrial system in developing India’s defence industry.
The Union Minister, Rajnath Singh has highly respected DRD’s initiative and has greatly praised the project and believes it will help the nation achieve self- realimce in the defence sector.
The tanker underwent severe and rigorous training in desert terrains to prove its efficiency and versatility in high- altitude areas. The initial phase has achieved its initial objectives as evaluated by DRDO. The initial phases focused primarily on the tank’s firing capabilities to notice any inconsistencies in aiming the designated target.
The plan of action is to initially provide the Indian Army with 59 tankers. The tanker weighs 25 tonnes and the Air Force’s C-17 can transfer 2 of each at one time.