India unveils homemade Zorawar tank, parts ways with Russia

According to the Defense Blog portal, India has presented its light combat tank, Zorawar, which emphasizes that the vehicle was developed in record time. India is moving away from its ally Russia, from whom they had planned to buy a replacement for the Zorawar a few years ago.

It is important to note that the development of the domestic project called Zorawar has been ongoing since 2020. At that time, India was in talks with the Russian Federation regarding purchasing military equipment. New Delhi particularly liked the Sprut SMD1 light tanks equipped with 125mm cannons.

Ultimately, however, India decided not to purchase the Russian design and instead focused on developing the domestic Zorawar tank project. This marked a significant shift away from Russian military equipment. A key turning point was the Dubai Airshow 2023, where the Russian company Rosoboronexport expressed interest in the Indian tank. The roles have reversed, and Russia is considering purchasing machines from India.

The Zorawar project faced several challenges during its development. New Delhi encountered difficulties stemming from inconsistencies with the original design assumptions. As Mateusz Tomczak, a journalist from Wirtualna Polska, explained, one major issue was the need to limit the tank's weight to around 55,000 lbs, leading to the selection of a chassis used initially in K9 Vajra howitzers.

Additionally, the Zorawar tank's engine had problems. Ensuring a continuous supply of the propulsion system temporarily halted the tank's development. Contrary to initial expectations that MTU units would be used, India found a solution in the form of a domestic Cummins engine with a power output of 1000 HP.

The Zorawar project is still ongoing. The vehicle was officially unveiled on Saturday, July 6, by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. However, the displayed machine is currently considered a prototype. The manufacturer states that completing the entire cycle of tests and moving to the procurement stage usually takes up to 1.5 years. Therefore, Zorawar is expected to be fully ready by 2027.

According to the Militarny portal, Zorawar currently weighs 55,000 lbs and can overcome difficult obstacles with high mobility thanks to its 1000 HP power unit. The offensive capabilities of this vehicle are supported by a 105mm caliber cannon designed by the Belgian company John Cockerill. While further specifications are not widely known, it is noteworthy that the Indian army has already placed a preliminary order for 59 Zorawar tanks. They also plan to purchase at least 295 vehicles of this type.