Indian officials announced on Friday the successful completion of the first phase of field firing trials for an Indian Light Tank, a versatile platform capable of deployment in high-altitude areas.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with industry partner Larsen & Toubro, the tank demonstrated “exceptional” performance, efficiently meeting all intended objectives, according to the Defence Ministry.

“After producing the first prototype, it underwent preliminary automotive trials in-house. The field trials have successfully met the intended objectives in desert terrain. During the first phase of field trials, the firing performance of the Light Tank was evaluated, and the tank demonstrated the required accuracy on the intended targets,” the Army said in a statement.

The development of this Indian Light Tank strengthens indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities within the country, officials also noted.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the DRDO, the Indian Army, and the associated industries for the successful trials of the Indian Light Tank, calling it an “important step towards achieving self-reliance in critical defence systems and technologies”.

The Indian Army plans to deploy over 350 light tanks, primarily in mountainous border areas, to counter the increased military presence of China along the border.

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