World’s top turret-making company to manufacture in India. Signs joint venture for light tanks’ turrets

This will be the first time that Belgium-based John Cockerill Defense will set up a manufacturing facility for turrets outside its country.

Light tank Zorawar developed jointly by DRDO and L&T | Photo: X, @ANI

New Delhi: Belgium-based John Cockerill Defense, one of the world’s top turret-making companies, has tied up with an Indian firm to manufacture, assemble and commission the critical component for the Indian Army’s Indian Light Tank (I.L.T) programme, Project Zorawar.

The company has formed a 60:40 joint venture with Indian firm Electro Pneumatics & Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd to manufacture turrets in Chakan, Pune.

This will be the first time that the Belgium company will set up a manufacturing facility for turrets outside its country. 

The DRDO and private firm L&T have come up with the Zorawar light tank, which is currently undergoing tests in-house.

For the tank, L&T used the John Cockerill turret.

Under Project Zorawar, the Indian Army will buy 59 light tanks if found satisfactory, and then L&T will compete with other firms for a larger order.

The initial demand of the Army is roughly 350 light tanks to take on the Chinese in the mountainous borders. 

“The joint venture that we have is not limited to just the 59 light tanks. Our reading is that the overall demand will be much higher than 350 … Moreover, as the joint venture stabilises, we will look at other programmes of the Indian Army—like the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) and the futuristic main battle tank called the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV),” Thierry Renaudin, Chief Executive Officer, John Cockerill Defense, said in the national capital responding to a query by ThePrint.

Project Zorawar, he said, is not just limited to manufacturing the light tanks for Indian orders but eventually making them at the Chakan plant and exporting them around the world.

Ingrid Rasquinha, Joint Managing Director, Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Pvt Ltd, said the company plans to roll out the first India-made turret in 2027.

The company has made the launchers for the Akash Next Generation, and the same, along with the hydraulics for the Indian Advanced Towed Artillery Gun (ATAGS), are under trial.   

Ashley Rasquinha, Joint Managing Director of the Indian firm, said the joint venture would look at exports, as the John Cockerill executive pointed out that the company already sells turrets to nearly half a dozen countries.

Vivek Bhide, Regional President, India and Group Transformation Officer, John Cockerill, said the defence sector is critical to national security. “And therefore, it is important to encourage and develop India’s defence manufacturing capabilities. This JV aims to equip India’s armed forces with advanced defence solutions for diverse and challenging combat environments. Importantly, it also answers the ‘Make in India’ call in a sector where India is working to embellish its global credentials,” he said. 

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)