Amid speculation of a joint venture with Russia, state-owned Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) is quietly charting a different course for the development of a new generation of light tanks, with growing interest in Western technology partners.
Reports have earlier surfaced suggesting that AVNL, headquartered in Avadi, had finalized an agreement with Russian defence export agency Rosoboronexport (ROE) to locally manufacture a variant of the 2S25 Sprut-SD tank platform. The vehicle, originally designed for Russia’s airborne troops, has been cited as a potential fit for India’s high-altitude warfare needs.
However, AVNL sources familiar with internal deliberations say no such agreement has been finalized. Instead, they point to a broader evaluation process involving both Russian and Western light tank platforms. The company, which emerged as a Defence Public Sector Undertaking following the restructuring of the Ordnance Factory Board, is understood to be leaning toward Western designs that emphasize Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) integration, modularity, and lightweight firepower, including 105mm and low-recoil 120mm main guns.
Western light tanks also offer enhanced survivability through composite and modular armour—characteristics that AVNL considers essential for India’s future battlefield environment, particularly in rugged, high-altitude terrain.
While AVNL has issued no official statement, its procurement activity offers insight into its strategic direction. Over the past several months, the firm has issued tenders seeking domestic and international partners to supply subsystems such as anti-drone systems, auxiliary power units (APUs), turret weapons, and power packs. Industry insiders say AVNL is in exploratory talks with leading global defence players, including Belgium’s John Cockerill and Israel’s Elbit Systems.
The Indian Army’s renewed interest in light tanks was sparked by China’s deployment of the Type 15 light tank near the Line of Actual Control during the 2020 standoff in Eastern Ladakh. India’s heavier platforms—such as the T-90 and the domestically developed Arjun—were found to be ill-suited for the high-altitude operational environment, prompting a strategic reassessment.
Project Zorawar, named after the 19th-century Dogra general Zorawar Singh, was launched in response. Spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the initiative aims to develop a 25-tonne class light tank tailored for mountain warfare. An initial order of 59 tanks has already been placed with L&T, but a further 295 units are up for grabs in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes defence procurement race.
Not content with merely competing in the open tender, AVNL has approached DRDO to be designated as an additional Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) alongside L&T. The company is reportedly seeking transfer of technology and manufacturing rights for the Indian Light Tank (ILT), aiming to create a parallel production line and reduce the risk of single-vendor dependency.
With a legacy of producing over 4,400 battle tanks and variants since 1966, AVNL has the industrial footprint and technical capability to support full-cycle armoured fighting vehicle development, including lifetime sustainment. The firm is also in the process of investing more than Rs 2,000 crore (approx. $240 million) to modernize its facilities—a move designed to boost manufacturing efficiency and reduce turnaround time for critical defence platforms.
With AVNL's overtures to Western firms gaining momentum and the Project Zorawar tender entering a critical phase, India’s approach to light tank acquisition may ultimately reflect a broader realignment in defence partnerships. Whether the country will continue to lean on its longstanding defence ties with Russia, or pivot more decisively toward Western industrial partners, remains a question of both strategic calculus and industrial capacity.
No comments:
Post a Comment