Zorawar to Face Competition as AVNL Eyes Russian Collaboration for Light Tank Development

India's indigenous defence industry is gearing up for a new entrant as Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL), a public sector firm, plans to collaborate with Russian entities Rosoboronexport (ROE) and High Precision Systems (HPC) to develop and manufacture a light tank for the Indian Armed Forces. This move could significantly impact the ongoing competition for fulfilling the Indian Army's need for 295 Light Tanks under the 'Make-I' category.

The proposed joint venture, with majority ownership by AVNL and India Optel Limited (IOL), is likely to leverage Russia's Sprut-SD technology to create a light tank that will directly rival the DRDO-L&T developed Zorawar Light Tank. While Zorawar has already begun trials and secured an initial order for 59 units, the remaining 300 tanks are up for grabs, and the entry of the Sprut-SD based tank could intensify the competition.

This development underscores India's growing focus on domestic defence production and strategic partnerships. The AVNL-led joint venture not only aims to cater to the Indian Army's requirements but also explore potential export opportunities for the indigenously developed Light Tank.

Indo-Russian Collaboration: A Strategic Advantage​

Experts believe that the Indo-Russian collaboration for light tank development is a positive step, given Russia's history of technology transfer and its willingness to share critical defence technologies without imposing restrictions. This contrasts with the approach of some Western partners like the US, who are often reluctant to transfer critical technologies.

India is currently pursuing a dual approach to meet its light tank requirements. One route involves indigenous development through the DRDO and L&T, while the other focuses on collaboration with foreign partners.

The recent unveiling of the indigenous Zorawar light tank, slated for commissioning in 2027, showcases India's progress in domestic manufacturing. However, the potential collaboration with Russia offers an additional avenue to acquire advanced technology and accelerate the development process.

Sprut-SD Technology: A Game-Changer​

Russia's Sprut-SD technology, which features gun stabilization in both elevation and azimuth, significantly enhances the combat capabilities of light tanks, especially in challenging terrains like high altitudes and mountainous regions. This technology is already familiar to the Indian armed forces, as it's used in India's T-72 and T-90 tanks.

The Sprut-SDM1, a light tank based on this technology, boasts impressive mobility features like amphibious capabilities, airlift compatibility, and parachute deployment. These features make it particularly suitable for deployment in mountainous regions like Kashmir and Ladakh.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Wow, AVNL has no capability to design anythhing by itself. It should change its name to copy paste nigam limited

 

[Instant Karma]

The Russian Sprut tank will have an edge as it is 18 ton only, amphibious, can fire from inside water, has 125 mm barrels which is the same as T90 tanks and has autoloader.

zorawar tank is completely based on the Korean k 21 light tank. All features are similar.

zorawar does not have 125 mm barrel, not amphibious, no autoloader, 12 tons heavier than Sprut tank.

 

[sujit raj]

The Russian Sprut tank will have an edge as it is 18 ton only, amphibious, can fire from inside water, has 125 mm barrels which is the same as T90 tanks and has autoloader.

zorawar tank is completely based on the Korean k 21 light tank. All features are similar.

zorawar does not have 125 mm barrel, not amphibious, no autoloader, 12 tons heavier than Sprut tank.

Russian Sprut does not have any armour support, one single hit will kill entire crew inside, or drone can take it out easily

 

[Instant Karma]

Russian Sprut does not have any armour support, one single hit will kill entire crew inside, or drone can take it out easily

Neither have zorawar any armour. Anti tank missiles can kill M1 Abraham.

 

[eagle]

The Russian Sprut tank will have an edge as it is 18 ton only, amphibious, can fire from inside water, has 125 mm barrels which is the same as T90 tanks and has autoloader.

zorawar tank is completely based on the Korean k 21 light tank. All features are similar.

zorawar does not have 125 mm barrel, not amphibious, no autoloader, 12 tons heavier than Sprut tank.

Incorrect -- Zorawar was designed as amphibious -- and was designed in India, not a K-21 at all.

 

[Instant Karma]

Incorrect -- Zorawar was designed as amphibious -- and was designed in India, not a K-21 at all.

L&T has purchased the K 21 chesis and has fitted the 105 mm barrel and to support that has fitted the more powerful German engine. No, it's not a new design. Zorawar and k 21 have the same specifications.

 

[Anant]

Just going by a very brief statistical comparison of the Zorawar and the Sprut, a few things become clear.

The Sprut is 8 tons lighter (17 tons) than the Zorawar (25 tons). However, on that lighter displacement, it brings a larger main gun (125mm) as compared to the Zorawar's 105mm gun. The Zorawar carries ATGMs, which the Sprut does not, though the latter can arguably fire ATGMs from it's gun.

However, the Zorawar enjoys a better power-to-weight ratio of between 30.4 and 32.6 hp/ton, compared to the Sprut's 28.3 hp/ton. That shortfall may well impact high altitude operations.

Now, keeping all those numbers taken off the Internet aside for a minute, the Sprut has seen little confidence from the Russians themselves, with only two dozen of them in service by the early 2010s. In 2023, it was reported that mass production was about to begin, but as far as I have found, not a single new tank has been delivered in over a year.

There is another extremely important point of concern here. The fact that the Sprut carries a larger gun with similar range and speed characteristics as the Zorawar on a hull that is considerably lighter seems to indicate that the Sprut's protection may have been sidelined. Moreover, the Sprut doesn't seem to have the capability built-in to add external armour (and it's power-to-weight ratio may well then approach that of some medium tanks. On top of that, the autoloader mechanism on the Sprut is the same as that on the T-72, T-80, and T-90.

Without good protection and with that kind of risk of ammunition getting hit, there really isn't any point in getting the Sprut or variant thereof. The fact that Russia has lost over 1,535 T-72s, 925 T-80s, and 150 T-90s in Ukraine (just based on photographic evidence) is ample proof of that.

 

[Anant]

The Russian Sprut tank will have an edge as it is 18 ton only, amphibious, can fire from inside water, has 125 mm barrels which is the same as T90 tanks and has autoloader.

zorawar tank is completely based on the Korean k 21 light tank. All features are similar.

zorawar does not have 125 mm barrel, not amphibious, no autoloader, 12 tons heavier than Sprut tank.

The Zorawar is also an amphibious tank. As for firing from inside water, that sounds like a really good idea, but historically, has proven to be a nightmare to execute properly.

Now, considering the fact that the Sprut has the same (larger and heavier) gun as the T-90, the fact that both it and the Zorawar have similar ranges and speeds, and the fact that the Sprut is considerably lighter, this suggests that the Sprut is lacking significantly when it comes to armour. That would be very bad for us.

 

[Anant]

L&T has purchased the K 21 chesis and has fitted the 105 mm barrel and to support that has fitted the more powerful German engine. No, it's not a new design. Zorawar and k 21 have the same specifications.

Nope. That "chassis purchased / borrowed from the K-21" hypothesis was floated some time back, and consequently disproven. Just because both vehicles have similar-ish dimensions doesn't mean the Zorawar simply took the K-21's chassis as its own.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

Typical psus. Havent learnt anything from 100 years of screwdrivergiri. Searches worldwide who product to screwdriver again and again . Rest of the days go protesting with help of unions and against private companies doing better.

 

[Superpower Bharat]

Neither have zorawar any armour. Anti tank missiles can kill M1 Abraham.

Zorawar has much better armour than sprut, waight to power ratio is better, it has auto loader, it's amphibious and technical it is far better than Russian tin can. And one more thing even a child can tell Zorawar chassis is totally different from K-21.

 

[Satya Dev]

Both LT & ANVL are going to do screw driver assembly using local hardware (60-70% by number of components) to qualify under ATMANIRBHAR. But question is 'kitney me padta hai' - why can't MOD do a 'ATMANIRBHAR or import' analysis to see if we are paying double the price under ATMANIRBHAR?

 

[NSR]

Any kinds of new armaments systems acquisition from Russia will incur USA CAATSA based sanctions.
Be happy with the Zorawar tank and try to indigenize as much as possible as time goes on.
Cummins already manufactures some engines in India too so they can team up to produce their engine in India.
We need Zorwar quickly and it looks like DRDO can deliver it.

 

[Anonymus]

The Russian Sprut tank will have an edge as it is 18 ton only, amphibious, can fire from inside water, has 125 mm barrels which is the same as T90 tanks and has autoloader.

zorawar tank is completely based on the Korean k 21 light tank. All features are similar.

zorawar does not have 125 mm barrel, not amphibious, no autoloader, 12 tons heavier than Sprut tank.

18 ton means no protection on that tank what the meaning of tank when it has no protection.

 

[Anonymus]

Just going by a very brief statistical comparison of the Zorawar and the Sprut, a few things become clear.

The Sprut is 8 tons lighter (17 tons) than the Zorawar (25 tons). However, on that lighter displacement, it brings a larger main gun (125mm) as compared to the Zorawar's 105mm gun. The Zorawar carries ATGMs, which the Sprut does not, though the latter can arguably fire ATGMs from it's gun.

However, the Zorawar enjoys a better power-to-weight ratio of between 30.4 and 32.6 hp/ton, compared to the Sprut's 28.3 hp/ton. That shortfall may well impact high altitude operations.

Now, keeping all those numbers taken off the Internet aside for a minute, the Sprut has seen little confidence from the Russians themselves, with only two dozen of them in service by the early 2010s. In 2023, it was reported that mass production was about to begin, but as far as I have found, not a single new tank has been delivered in over a year.

There is another extremely important point of concern here. The fact that the Sprut carries a larger gun with similar range and speed characteristics as the Zorawar on a hull that is considerably lighter seems to indicate that the Sprut's protection may have been sidelined. Moreover, the Sprut doesn't seem to have the capability built-in to add external armour (and it's power-to-weight ratio may well then approach that of some medium tanks. On top of that, the autoloader mechanism on the Sprut is the same as that on the T-72, T-80, and T-90.

Without good protection and with that kind of risk of ammunition getting hit, there really isn't any point in getting the Sprut or variant thereof. The fact that Russia has lost over 1,535 T-72s, 925 T-80s, and 150 T-90s in Ukraine (just based on photographic evidence) is ample proof of that.

In your essay you forget to about protection which sprut lacks

 

[Instant Karma]

Both LT & ANVL are going to do screw driver assembly using local hardware (60-70% by number of components) to qualify under ATMANIRBHAR. But question is 'kitney me padta hai' - why can't MOD do a 'ATMANIRBHAR or import' analysis to see if we are paying double the price under ATMANIRBHAR?

Exactly. K 9 costs us 60 crs a piece. The orders for 100 k9 was for 6000 crs. Where as T 90 which is completely made in India costs 24 crs. Indian Army purchased 464 tanks for 13884 crs.

 

[Akshat]

In your essay you forget to about protection which sprut lacks

I did mention it. Please refer to the second to last paragraph (after the statistics).

 

[Mango_Indian]

There is no “indigenous” tank here.

L&T is making Hanhwa Techwin chassis based tank with imported turret and gun.

AVNL is making Russian Sprut chassis based tank with imported turret and gun.

Assembling it is the “indigenous “ game. If you “assemble” in Gujarat you are more “indigenous”.

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

This is a waste of time and money, instead of going after every model available , stick to the one we chose though I would have preferred a 125mm gun for zorawar.