NEW DELHI, June 7 -- The Indian Army expects to induct the Zorawar light tank in 2028-29 after issues flagged during its development and trials are fixed, a move that will significantly boost the deployment speed and combat response of armoured regiments in the mountains, army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said.

"Issues noticed during development and testing are being addressed through the normal design refinement cycle. Based on present timelines, Zorawar's induction is likely in the 2028-2029 timeframe, subject to successful completion of trials, user evaluation and production readiness," Dwivedi said in an interview with HT.

The tank-earlier expected to be ready for induction in 2027-will strengthen the army's posture against Chinese...