Also called VT-5, the Type 15 is armed with one 105mm rifled gun with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor which has a maximum firing range of 3,000 metres. The Type 15 has a maximum weight of 36 tonnes and offers the mobility and the firepower of a standard Main Battle Tank (MBT).

The Type 15 has a maximum weight of 36 tonnes and offers the mobility and the firepower of a standard Main Battle Tank (MBT).Ĭhina has deployed the ZTQ 105/Type 15 lightweight tank in entire Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) including in Eastern Ladakh and opposite Sikkim. This was despite the fact that in May 1993, the light tank was considered unnecessary and in 1994, the then Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister had advised that the project be closed.Ĭhina has deployed the ZTQ 105/Type 15 lightweight tank in entire Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) including in Eastern Ladakh and opposite Sikkim.

But it never reached completion although production and trials continued till 1996 at a total cost of 4.53 crore, well beyond its estimated 2.54 crore.

Interestingly, the project for design and development of a light tank on BMP-I chassis by the DRDO was approved in 1983, which was to be completed in 1986. The light tanks are to be procured in a “phased manner” under the ‘Make in India’ category of the Defence Ministry’s Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 (DAP 2020). The new RFI published on April 24, 2021, was because of the 2020 Chinese aggression and the continuing standoff, with China refusing to disengage from Depsang Plains, Gogra, Hot Springs and Demchok.

Earlier in October 1999, the IA had issued a RFI for 200 wheeled light tanks (armoured cars) and about 100 tracked light tanks. It was reported in these columns last year that the Indian Army (IA) had issued a Request For Information (RFI) in April, inviting responses from overseas and domestic vendors for its planned procurement of 350 locally manufactured ‘light tanks’ weighing less than 25 tonnes along with performance-based logistics, niche technologies, engineering support package, and other maintenance and training requirements.

Light modern tank