New Delhi: The ongoing Ladakh stand-off with China and the induction of a large number of technologically advanced tanks by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has brought the focus on armoured columns. They define the operational capability of the land forces prominently.
Considering the increased threat on the northern borders will remain in the foreseeable future, Indian Army is prioritising the procurement of the indigenous light tank, named ‘Zorawar’ for deployment in the mountains in order to improve its operational capabilities of the armoured corps and mechanised infantry. The project has been named ‘Zorawar’ after Zorawar Singh Kahluria — a military general who served under Jammu’s Raja Gulab Singh — known as the ‘Conqueror of Ladakh’.
As a part of its modernisation plan, Indian Army has been inducting niche technologies like swarm drones, loitering munitions, anti-drone capabilities and next generation Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
According to the sources, “It will have equal firepower as the present tank, including missile firing. The power to weight ratio will make it very agile. The project is moving very, very well. The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from the Defence Acquisition Council is expected next month”.
Based on the recent experiences along the northern borders, the fire power of the existing fleet of T-72, T-90 and indigenous Arjun tanks are being upgraded by the Army and they are going for ammunition with greater depth of penetration. According to a source, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently demonstrated these in their trials and the user trials with the Army are expected soon.
According to officials, Zorawar is designed to operate in varying terrain from high altitude areas and marginal terrains to island territories. It will be highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational situation, and feature niche technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone integration, active protection systems, and a high degree of situational awareness. The Army also wants the light tank to be amphibious, so it can be deployed across riverine regions and even the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh.
While the large tank fleet consisting of T-72 and T-90 tanks were useful in gaining tactical surprise over the adversary, the heavy tanks face certain limitations at high altitudes as well in the marginal terrain of the Rann of Kutch.
Thus, procuring a lighter tank designed and developed indigenously is an operational necessity to overcome these limitations. “The adversity which the world supply chain has experienced in defence-related component supplies due to the Russia-Ukraine war, has impacted both the manufacturing and sustenance of the foreign fleet of tanks that India is presently holding,” the source said.
Project Zorawar, has already received in-principle approval and it’s planned to be procured under the ‘Make-I’ acquisition category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)-2020, in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
As per media reports, the last two years has seen China deploying the third-generation modern light tank ZTQ 15 (Type 15), latest ZTL-11 wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers and the CSK series of assault vehicles along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
In the past, the Army successfully employed light tanks as force multipliers in multiple battle engagements which included the deployment of Stuart tanks of the 254 Indian Tank Brigade in the Battle of Kohima in World War II, at Naushera, Jhangar, Rajauri, and most successfully, at Zojila in the Indo-Pak War 1947-48.
The AMX-13 tanks were deployed at Chushul and Bomdila in 1962 and in Chammb in 1965. The amphibious PT-76 light tanks were deployed successfully in 1971, with the tanks leading the race to Dacca. The AMX-13 and PT-76 tanks were phased out in the 1980s after the focus of the Army shifted primarily to the western borders, resulting in the conversion of PT-76 units to the T-72 profile.
Taking note of the current threat scenario and the contours of the likely future wars, Indian Army has realised that it needs to well prepared to handle the new challenges. And for this, the equipment profile of tanks must have the versatility and flexibility of medium and light platforms.
One of the sources said, “Armoured Fighting Vehicle-Indian Light Tank (AFV-ILT) offering capability for multiple employment options along with niche technologies is, therefore, an operational imperative”.
Simultaneously, Indian Army is inducting swarm drone system equipped with cutting-edge technology that can identify targets using artificial intelligence-driven software into the mechanised forces. It has procured Swarm Drones from two Indian startups, according to the sources. In addition, a Make-II case has been initiated, Autonomous Surveillance and Armed Drone Swarm (A-SADS), which includes a number of improvements and also a version for high altitude areas. In 2021, the Army signed several contracts for a range of tactical drones from Indian companies under emergency procurement and deliveries have commenced.
“Swarm drones being inducted into the mechanised forces, duly embracing the niche & disruptive technologies, will provide an edge to Indian Army in meeting future security challenges,” the Army tweeted on August 27.
A swarm drone system consists of a number of small drones which are AI enabled and capable of communicating with the control station as well as among themselves and provide asymmetric capabilities for taking out frontline assets of the adversary.
The application of swarm drones in recent conflicts worldwide have highlighted their potency in modern warfare.
“By using algorithms a swarm drone can be cast to carry out tasks such as surveillance. There is a dynamic mesh communication system so that “even if a few drones drop out, the swam will still complete the job and come back. It is a complex but a “man in the loop” system, the sources said.
Further, the sources said that the Army is endeavouring to “embrace emerging and disruptive technologies” to transform itself to a “technology-enabled force to meet future operational challenges. The AI-infused system enhances decision-making and engagement capability.
Swarm drones are capable of overwhelming enemy defences by undertaking collaborative attack. They consist of a number of drones controlled from the same station, can operate autonomously with minimum human intervention, identify targets using the software, speed up the engagement process and can carry a variety of payloads in a single mission.
