India’s Zorawar light tank programme—a DRDO–L&T effort—could be delayed by up to two years after the Army demanded protection beyond STANAG Level 4.Originally slated for induction by 2027, the tank may now be ready only in 2028 or 2029 as engineers look to strengthen armour while keeping weight under the crucial 25-tonne limit needed for high-altitude mobility in places such as Ladakh.STANAG protection levels, defined by NATO, measure how well armoured vehicles withstand battlefield threats including small arms, artillery fragments and mine blasts. Level 4 is designed to stop heavy machine‑gun fire and withstand mine blasts equivalent to 10 kg of TNT. Levels above 4 offer markedly stronger protection: Level 5 resists 25 mm autocannon rounds, while Level 6 can defeat 30 mm armour‑piercing rounds and survive near‑direct 155 mm artillery hits. Higher protection, however, adds significant weight and cost, reducing mobility and limiting deployment in difficult terrain.Zorawar was conceived after China deployed Type‑15 light tanks during the 2020 standoff. India plans to induct 354 units, with an initial batch of 59 to be produced by Larsen & Toubro at its Hazira plant; the tank was showcased to Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Hazira last week.Developed in just 19 months, Zorawar is India’s first indigenous light tank optimised for Himalayan warfare. Named after General Zorawar Singh, the “Conqueror of Ladakh,” it is lighter than China’s Type‑15 while maintaining comparable firepower. The platform mounts a Belgian John Cockerill 3105 turret with a 105 mm autoloading gun, a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun, a 12.7 mm remote‑controlled weapon station and twin launchers for Nag Mk‑2 anti‑tank guided missiles. It is powered by a Cummins 760 hp diesel and Renk transmission, capable of up to 70 km/h and a 450 km range.Its light weight enables airlift by aircraft such as the C‑390, which is being considered under the IAF’s Medium Transport Aircraft competition. Any increase above 25 tonnes would reduce the pool of transport aircraft able to carry the tank to larger types such as the A‑400M, Il‑76 and C‑17. During the 2020 eastern Ladakh standoff, heavier tanks such as the T‑72 and T‑90 were airlifted using the IAF’s Il‑76s and C‑17s.