According to people familiar with the situation, the indigenously developed light battle tank's requirement for increased protection levels against enemy fire is likely to cause a two-year delay in the system's induction and may present technical difficulties as developers compete to balance the extra weight against agility.
According to the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the tank was created under Project Zorawar and now provides protection up to STANAG level 4, which can withstand machine gun fire, artillery shrapnel, and limited mine bursts.

Since its introduction in July 2024, the tank has been offered for induction and has completed thorough trials in both plains and high-altitude regions like Ladakh. However, the need to improve protection level beyond STANAG 4 is expected to extend the development period.The tank was supposed to be introduced in forward, high-altitude regions by 2027, according to initial designs.The timeframe has been delayed because more research work is needed, and developers will replace protective materials while maintaining a weight below the necessary 25 tonnes.

In response to Chinese armoured deployments in eastern Ladakh, the tank was created in a record speed of less than two years, according to ET. After tensions increased in eastern Ladakh in 2020, China installed light armour at high-altitude positions, necessitating the need for a light tank. DRDO started its development with L&T in April 2022 after consulting with the Army.
The tank, which the Army has named Zorawar, is more mobile and has more accurate firepower than the Chinese Type 15 tanks that are stationed along the Ladakh border. The tank has a 105 mm cannon and a weight of 25 tonnes for increased mobility at high elevations.Additionally, it can perform integrated operations with an unmanned aerial vehicle, which significantly improves battlefield visibility, and it offers active defence against attacks.
The Army needs 354 light tanks that can be used in Ladakh's high-altitude regions. Currently, L&T-DRDO will make 59. The Army has started a competitive process for the remaining supplies, which might take up to ten years to start.