Ladakh standoff: DRDO weighs options to make indigenous light tanks

Ministry had planned to import such tanks to counter possible attack by Chinese troops

The ministry of defence (MoD) last month fast-tracked 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 guns, 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.

Arrayed on the Ladakh border is the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) new light tank, the small, agile and versatile ZTQ 105 — also known as the Type 15 tank. To cou­nter