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.

 

[RalphRearden]

OFBs desperate attempt to preserve their screwedriver assembly mechanic workshop

 

[Sandeep]

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”.

LT aren’t making any Hanwha chassis as it was deemed unsuitable so an indigenous chassis was developed based on our requirements on weight and armour level which Hanwha don’t meet the requirements.

The turret will be indigenously developed for the rest of the 300 tanks based on the technology they learn from the first 60 tanks they order and any ToT they receive.

Stop spreading misinformation and do your homework and comment on factual news and not made up nonsense 😂

 

[Akshat]

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.

Oh so K21 also has a box armor like Zorawar? And L&T managed to keep the weight at 25 tons despite adding a new engine and the 105mm gun, the weight of K21 IFV, while Hanhwa itself couldn’t do that and had to classify the tank as medium weight? 😂😂😂

 

[Sandeep]

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?

Currently DRDO and LT are going to manufacture the Zorawar tank with at least 70% made in India. The rest of the 30% foreign content will reduce as we manufacture more tanks.

Importing something directly will always be cheaper as that company has already developed the infrastructure and research and development costs. To manufacture and get more indigenous content it will cost more because we have to learn how to develop a tank and the type of technology, science and engineering involved in making it. Otherwise we can just keep importing tanks and not learn anything and be reliant on foreign countries who can decide if they want to keep supplying us those tanks or parts we need and the price they want to sell it at. We are paying more for the knowledge, education and skills.

 

[Akshat]

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

Zorawar has 600 mm RHA protection. That is enough to stop even Arjun’s tank killer rounds. Plus it’s a box armor, meaning that it is even more potent. Sprut on the other hand can only offer protection against 30 mm rounds. This is far lower than what IA has asked for in its RFI.

 

[Akshat]

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.

Nope. Army’s tender states 25 ton with a margin of 10 tons, so Sprut will have no advantage as Zorawar fits right in. The tender also asks for a 105mm or bigger gun. So Zorawar will pass that too.

But the army’s tender asks for an armor of 600 mm on the front, which Zorawar has but Sprut doesn’t. It also asks for ATGM and loitering munitions. Zorawar has both and Sprut has neither.

So Zorawar meets all the requirements while Sprut will need massive reengineering to meet those requirements.

 

[Sandeep]

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.

Mate the K9 cost more because we manufactured about 70% after transferring the technology to us. Importing something will always be much cheaper as they have already invested in developing their own infrastructure along with researching and developing the tank. We are paying more because we want to learn about the science, technology and engineering that’s involved in developing the K9. This will allow us to manufacture more and increase the amount of indigenous technology and content.

As for the T90 tanks that was just ordered they include more indigenous advanced technology and capabilities than the previous variants. So your not counting any of that in your calculations.

 

[Akshat]

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?

Such analysis has been done many a times. When made DOSUs, the costs are much higher. But when made by private companies, made in India is cheaper. That’s why Adani is able to export MALE drones as well.

 

[DEVESH]

If zorawar meets 70% of requirements of army, even then it should be chosen over sprut tanks.

 

[Sandeep]

It’s absolutely clear that the Russian Sprut tank doesn’t meet our indigenous requirement. It has no armour protection at all. Russia tried making a sale but it was rejected by our military as well during the Ladakh incursions.

The Zorawar tank has been developed specifically to our own indigenous technology and requirements. It will have 70% or more indigenous content which will increase as we manufacture more tanks. The critical technology we need to develop indigenously is the engine, transmission and the turret main gun, remote medium and small machine gun and ATGM system firing the Nag variant missile.

 

[Akhil]

Zorawar is atleast 2X better than Sprut. Better armour, more power and one of best name for a light battle tank .

Contrary to popular belief, a 105mm gun is more suitable to 125mm in our high altitude ranges where Himalyas rise at a steep angle and a lighter gun with more angle flexibility is better. 105 mm gun is lighter, can change angle faster than 125 assuming similar auxiliary mechanics, can rise to a higher angle and lower angle faster. A smaller, lighter gun also offers more stability due to more suitable centre of gravity at high altitudes.

But tomorrow if our Import Army comes out, which they might, and says they reject zorawar as they need 125mm gun, you know why it was actually rejected.

 

[Pramkumar]

Let go with Zorawar and Arjun MK1A and MK2
We need to produce 2500 Zorawar and 5000 Arjuns

 

[Dredd]

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

all OFB are like this.. i read a report many years ago about OFB that produce bullets that one employee per day produce approx 50 bullets. Can you imagine this ?

 

[Anant]

The main advantage for a 105mm main gun as opposed to more traditional 120mm/125mm ones is the higher elevation afforded to the former smaller gun,which is very crucial in high altitude mountain areas.Second point being that you can adequate rounds of shells for a 105mm in a much smaller tank as opposed to carrying far fewer rounds for the same 120mm/125mm guns.
That is why IA settled on a smaller gun for this light tank as opposed to going with larger guns,even PLA went with the same smaller gun size for their Type-15 light tank even when it weights 35 tons.
You have given very good summary of why Sprut-D is just unnecessary at this point when it is just but a "tin" can carrying a large gun,with no mobility,armour or anti-drone advantage.

Boss, I am very much against having a large gun on a light tank. A 76.2mm or 105mm gun is ideal for a tank of the Zorawar's size. Anything larger entails unnecessary compromises.

The problem is that once you get something like the Sprut, operationally speaking, someone will try to deploy it alongside (or in a manner similar to) MBTs, and it will do very poorly there.

 

[Dredd]

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

sprut can't even take RPG rounds or mortar shells.

 

[Devasahayam]

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

IK has spammed that same bakvaas prior (Wikipedia aka wickedpedia debunks it royally already), and didn't like when I suggested lightening Zorawar by making it a tank-destroyer rather than a light-tank (this way instead of weighing it down with armour, it can be weighed down less with more arms -- a "let your sword be your shield" approach)

 

[Instant Karma]

The main advantage for a 105mm main gun as opposed to more traditional 120mm/125mm ones is the higher elevation afforded to the former smaller gun,which is very crucial in high altitude mountain areas.Second point being that you can adequate rounds of shells for a 105mm in a much smaller tank as opposed to carrying far fewer rounds for the same 120mm/125mm guns.
That is why IA settled on a smaller gun for this light tank as opposed to going with larger guns,even PLA went with the same smaller gun size for their Type-15 light tank even when it weights 35 tons.
You have given very good summary of why Sprut-D is just unnecessary at this point when it is just but a "tin" can carrying a large gun,with no mobility,armour or anti-drone advantage.

That is not the case. They settled for 105 mm because only the k 21 chassis has been fitted with a 105 mm and light tanks have 105 mm including kaplan.

 

[Instant Karma]

Nope. Army’s tender states 25 ton with a margin of 10 tons, so Sprut will have no advantage as Zorawar fits right in. The tender also asks for a 105mm or bigger gun. So Zorawar will pass that too.

But the army’s tender asks for an armor of 600 mm on the front, which Zorawar has but Sprut doesn’t. It also asks for ATGM and loitering munitions. Zorawar has both and Sprut has neither.

So Zorawar meets all the requirements while Sprut will need massive reengineering to meet those requirements.

Sprut also fit.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

all OFB are like this.. i read a report many years ago about OFB that produce bullets that one employee per day produce approx 50 bullets. Can you imagine this ?

Well, it would be unfair to compare OFB companies today to many years ago. They have changed a lot. But some structural issues and culturehave not changed

 

[Akshat]

Sprut also fit.

Nope it doesn’t. No Loitering munitions and no 600 mm armor on the front. Complete failure,

 

[amerjit johal]

I am very confused. I thought Sprut had been eliminated ages ago.
I was under the impression that Zorawar was complying with IA specs, and once it proved itself - orders would follow.

 

[Anant]

That is not the case. They settled for 105 mm because only the k 21 chassis has been fitted with a 105 mm and light tanks have 105 mm including kaplan.

The K21 has a 40mm main gun, and the variant with a 105mm gun is labelled as a medium tank. Oh, and there are light tanks which carry guns larger than 105mm. The old Sheridan LTs had a 152mm gun. Another example is the Sprut with its 125mm gun.

 

[PKPRS]

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

Yes, that’s the idea and there will be a lot of commissions making this probably win than the local product, same old plan.

 

[Instant Karma]

sprut can't even take RPG rounds or mortar shells.

Neither zorawar

 

[Instant Karma]

Nope it doesn’t. No Loitering munitions and no 600 mm armor on the front. Complete failure,

Everything can be done. Don't worry.