Indian Army Announces T-72 Tank Modernisation to Enhance Defence Readiness Against Regional Threats

The Indian Army is set to implement a significant upgrade for its older T-72 main battle tanks to boost their operational readiness in response to evolving threats from China and Pakistan.

Initially inducted in 1978, the T-72 tanks were once considered among the most advanced armoured vehicles globally. With features such as a powerful 125 mm gun, sophisticated fire-control systems, a low profile, and high mobility, these tanks provided India with a strategic edge over regional adversaries during the early years of their deployment.

As advancements continued in modern armoured warfare, particularly with more technologically advanced Western tanks, the T-72 started to show limitations, especially in areas such as night-fighting capabilities, thermal imaging, and fire-control systems.

To address these deficiencies, India began incorporating the more advanced T-90 tanks into the Army in 2001, with the initial batch sourced from Russia. Recently, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) delivered the 1,000th T-90 tank from its Avadi facility in Tamil Nadu to the Army.

In an effort to prolong the operational life of the T-72 fleet beyond 2030, the Army has initiated an ambitious modernization project called Project Rhino.

This program aims to equip the tanks with upgraded engines, advanced fire-control systems, enhanced protection packages, and cutting-edge battlefield technologies to improve their survivability and combat efficiency.

According to officials, future plans might also include transforming some T-72 models into unmanned combat systems under the Aditi 4.0 Challenge initiative, as the Army increasingly focuses on automation and next-generation warfare technologies.

The modernization initiative seeks to fill capability gaps until the introduction of the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV), which is slated to eventually replace the ageing T-72 tanks.

Defence specialists highlight that this upgrade effort arises amid a growing emphasis on armoured warfare readiness along India's western and northern borders, where evolving battlefield conditions necessitate improved mobility, protection, night-fighting capabilities, and network-centric combat systems.