Indian Ministry of Defence fast-tracked since July the emergency purchase of light tanks to counter possible attacks by over 20,000 Chinese troops poised on the Ladakh border along with tanks, artillery, air defence and road construction units.
To eliminate the costly and time-consuming import of light tanks, the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) has developed plans for building an indigenous light tank for use in mountains and in jungle terrain.
Hence, Business Standard learns the DRDO has short-listed two options for developing an indigenous light tank within 18 months. Both these involve combining the DRDO’s tank development expertise created while developing the Arjun tank, with the defence manufacturing capability of companies such as Larsen & Toubro that are already building the K9 Vajra self-propelled gun system.
The first option involves modifying a 34-35-tonne tank by fitting a 105mm John Cockerill turret onto a K-9 Vajra hull, powered by a 1,000 hp MTU engine optimised for high altitudes. DRDO sources say this hybrid tank could go into production within 18 months.
The second option retains the K-9 Vajra hull and MTU engine, but matched with the gun turret of the T-90S Bhishma tank that the army already uses. This 38-tonne tank would also require 18 months for going into production.