A ₹472-crore facility for overhauling T-72 and T-90 battle tanks will be established at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur to expand maintenance capacity for the Indian Army. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the project on Thursday.
The factory is a unit of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, a defence public sector undertaking. The new infrastructure is designed to overhaul 80 tanks every year, filling a capacity gap in the Army’s maintenance requirements and improving the timely availability of refurbished armoured platforms.
The Army requires about 230 tanks to be overhauled annually. Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi currently has capacity for 150 tanks a year. The additional 80-tank capacity planned at Jabalpur would align total annual overhaul capability with the stated requirement once the new facility becomes operational.
Tank overhaul is a major maintenance process that restores ageing or heavily used platforms to reliable service. It can involve inspection, replacement and refurbishment of mechanical, electrical, electronic and hydraulic systems, followed by testing before the vehicle is returned to an operational formation.
The project will cover the T-72 and T-90 families that form an important part of the Indian Army’s armoured fleet. Regular overhaul is necessary to sustain mobility, firepower, protection and equipment availability over the long service life expected from these platforms.
Rajnath Singh said the changing character of warfare had not removed the relevance of tanks but had altered the environment in which they operate. Modern armoured formations must function alongside infantry, artillery, drones, air power, surveillance systems, precision weapons and electronic warfare capabilities.
The new capacity is also expected to generate demand for components and services from micro, small and medium enterprises. Mechanical assemblies, electrical systems, electronics, hydraulics and specialised maintenance services can create opportunities for suppliers in and around Jabalpur while strengthening domestic defence supply chains.
Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited has experience in overhauling variants of the T-72 and T-90. The Jabalpur project will add infrastructure to that institutional capability and reduce pressure on the existing facility at Avadi. Its operational value will depend on construction, equipment installation, workforce preparation, quality assurance and adherence to delivery schedules.
The government has placed increasing emphasis on domestic maintenance, repair and overhaul capacity as part of its defence self-reliance policy. Indigenous support infrastructure can reduce dependence on external supply chains for critical spares and repairs, particularly during periods of heightened operational demand.
The project also reinforces Jabalpur’s established role in defence manufacturing and maintenance. Vehicle Factory Jabalpur has operated for decades, and the new investment is intended to add a specialised function linked directly to the readiness of the Army’s armoured units.
The ceremony marks the beginning of the project rather than completion of the facility. Construction and commissioning milestones will determine when the additional annual capacity becomes available. Once operational, the plant is expected to complement Avadi and provide the Army with a combined overhaul capacity matching its stated annual requirement of 230 tanks.
