Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivers a speech during the ground-breaking ceremony for the ₹472 Crore 'T-Series Tanks Overhaul Project' at the Vehicle Factory, in Jabalpur
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At a time when the tank’s vulnerability against drones has invited global attention, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the role of the armoured platform has not ended rather it’s evolving and remains relevant in ground combat of modern warfare.Therefore, as per the Defence Minister, the focus of the armed forces remain clear that soldiers need both tanks as well as drones.role of tank“The role of the tank has not ended; the role of the tank is evolving. That is, technology is changing and the character of warfare is changing, but the need for tanks in ground combat has not ended. And this very point is guiding our defense policy as well,” Singh said in his address after laying the foundation stone of ₹472 crore-worth expansion plan of defence PSU Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, to execute T-72 and T-90 tank overhaul project.Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar; CMD, AVNL Satyabrata Mukherjee, Master General Sustenance Lieutenant General Amardeep Singh Aujla, who is incharge of revenue procurement in the Army, and other senior officials of MoD, DPSU and defence forces were present on the occasion. The facilities at Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, -- a unit of Mini Ratna Defence PSU Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL) -- are expected to overhaul 80 tanks per annum to ensure timely availability of overhauled tanks to the Indian Army, further boosting its operational readiness. In all, the Army requires 230 tanks to be overhauled each year, and the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, currently has the capacity to overhaul 150 tanks annually.“Our approach is not to treat one platform as a substitute for another. We need drones, we need missiles, we need artillery, we need electronic warfare, we need energy weapons, and we also need modernized tanks. We do not have to choose between a tank or a drone; we must ensure that our soldiers have both tanks and drones, along with better coordination between the two. I am confident that this Jabalpur facility will carry this vision forward in the coming times,” stated the Minister.He also advocated that there is a need to equip our tanks with superior sensors and capabilities aligned with modern battlefield requirements.The move is part of the Indian Army’s overall plan to place five-year restoration and modernisation orders worth over ₹75,000 crore for its ageing fleet of Soviet-origin tanks and armoured vehicles, as businessline reported on July 5.According to the Minister, the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, has supplied around 4,400 tanks to the Army over the past four decades, reflecting its significant contribution to the country’s armoured capabilities. He said the new project will further strengthen Jabalpur’s identity as a major hub for defence technology, maintenance, modernisation and manufacturing. He expressed hope that AVNL, with 25 years of experience in overhauling T-72 and T-90 variant tanks, will set new benchmarks for quality, productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness in the years to come.Published on August 27, 2026
