Zorawar Becomes Even More Dangerous: India Combined Light Tank With Nag Mk II ATGM

India has successfully integrated the new Nag Mk II anti-tank system onto its latest Zorawar light tank.

The country’s Ministry of Defense stated that this step was an important milestone in the creation of a new generation of light tanks of domestic production.

During the tests, the vehicle successfully passed all the tests, and the developers confirmed that it achieved all the target indicators, including range, maneuverability during a topside attack, and target hit accuracy.

Nag Mk II is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile developed by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

It uses “fire and forget” technology and is capable of operating effectively in all weather conditions.

The maximum range is 7 to 10 kilometers, which is a significant improvement over the previous version of the NAG Mk I.

The missile is integrated with the NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier) launcher, creating a universal system for destroying enemy armored vehicles.

The new ATGM significantly enhances the combat capabilities of the Zorawar light tank, which is being developed by Larsen & Toubro in cooperation with the DRDO.

Zorawar light tank

The Zorawar tank was designed and prepared for testing in record time – just two years after the start of development in 2022.

This pace was made possible by the use of off-the-shelf technological solutions and a modular design approach.

The vehicle is being created primarily to counter the Chinese army in the highland disputed areas of the Himalayas, where China has deployed its own Type 15 light tanks (ZTQ-15).

With a weight of about 25 tons, the Zorawar is capable of overcoming water obstacles, steep mountain climbs, rivers and streams on its own, giving it an advantage over the heavier T-72 and T-90 tanks.

The tank is equipped with the Cockerill 3000 combat module with a 105-mm gun manufactured by the Belgian company John Cockerill Defense.

The power plant is a Cummins diesel engine with a capacity of 1000 horsepower. This ensures a power-to-weight ratio of 40 hp/t, which guarantees high maneuverability and speed even in difficult conditions.

The Indian army has already ordered 59 Zorawar tanks as part of the initial batch and plans to purchase more than 295 more units.

It is expected that the new light tank will be officially adopted by 2027.