India closes tank overhaul gap: Jabalpur facility to add capacity for 80 T-72s, T-90s

India's tank warfare preparedness is set to receive a major uplift with the creation of a new facility in Jabalpur capable of overhauling 80 T-72 Ajeya and T-90 Bhishma tanks every year, helping the Indian Army meet its annual requirement for refurbished armoured platforms.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, on Thursday, performed the bhoomi pujan for the T-Series Tanks Overhaul Project at Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, a unit of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL).

The project, estimated to cost ₹472 crore, will establish dedicated facilities for overhauling the Army's T-72 and T-90 tanks and is aimed at ensuring that these are available on time for operational requirements.

The Indian Army requires around 230 tanks to be overhauled every year. At present, the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi in Tamil Nadu has the capacity to overhaul about 150 tanks annually. The additional capacity of 80 tanks at Jabalpur will help bridge the gap and strengthen the Army's operational readiness, according to a statement from the defence ministry.

In a post on X, the defence ministry said the new facility would complement HVF Avadi and help meet the Army's annual overhaul requirement while advancing self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

The latest project is important because it will keep the existing armoured fleet battle-ready at a time when the nature of warfare is rapidly evolving.

Speaking at the event, Singh said despite the growing role of drones, precision-guided weapons, missiles, satellites, artificial intelligence and cyber warfare, the relevance of tanks had not diminished, but had only evolved.

"Modern warfare demands combined capabilities rather than dependence on a single platform. Tanks, infantry, artillery, drones, air power, surveillance, and precision weapons together form an integrated combat system, a concept demonstrated by the Indian Army through its ‘Integrated Battle Group’," Singh said.

He highlighted the need to equip tanks with better sensors and capabilities suited to modern battlefield requirements.

"Our focus is to provide the soldiers with drones, missiles, artillery, electronic warfare capabilities, energy weapons & modernised tanks, and ensuring seamless coordination among them. This overhaul facility will advance this vision," he said.

The new facility, according to the defence minister, is expected to support not only the availability of T-72 and T-90 tanks but also the broader effort to modernise India's armoured warfare capability and integrate tanks more effectively with other battlefield systems.

Singh also highlighted the long-standing contribution of HVF Avadi, which has supplied around 4,400 tanks to the Indian Army over the past four decades. He said the Jabalpur project would further strengthen the city's position as a hub for defence technology, maintenance, modernisation and manufacturing.

AVNL brings around 25 years of experience in overhauling T-72 and T-90 variants, and the defence minister expressed confidence that the company would set new standards in quality, productivity, innovation and global competitiveness.