India and China had deployed tanks which were pulled back as part of the disengagement.File PhotoFile Photo

With the experience of deploying armour at an altitude of 15,000 ft. to outmanoeuvre the movement of Chinese forces during the stand-off in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army is prioritising the procurement of the indigenous Indian light tank named ‘Zorawar’, for deployment in the mountains, official sources said.

In addition to the light tank, the Army will induct niche technologies such as loitering munitions, anti-drone capabilities and next generation Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, officials added.

“It will have equal firepower as the present tank, including missile firing. The power to weight ratio will make it very agile,” sources in the security establishment said.

“The project is moving very, very well. The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from the Defence Acquisition Council is expected next month,” a source stated.

The recent experiences along the northern borders have shown that armour equipment profile is one of the most prominent factors in defining the operational capability of land forces, a source said, while noting that China has inducted a large number of state-of-the-art medium and light tanks.

At the height of the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh, India and China had deployed tanks on the mountain peaks which were subsequently pulled back as part of the disengagement from both banks of the lake.

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