Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav performed the Bhoomi Pujan for the T-Series Tanks Overhaul Project at the Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, on Thursday. The Rs 472-crore project will create facilities for the overhaul of T-72 and T-90 tanks, marking another milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance.
The facilities have been envisaged to overhaul 80 tanks annually, ensuring the timely availability of overhauled tanks to the Indian Army and further boosting its operational readiness. The Army requires around 230 tanks to be overhauled each year, with the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, currently having the capacity to overhaul 150 tanks annually, according to a Ministry of Defence press release.
Rajnath Singh described the project as a testament to India’s growing technological prowess and industrial capabilities, expressing confidence that it would contribute to India’s goal of emerging as one of the world’s leading defence manufacturing and export hubs in the coming years. He emphasised that while the nature of warfare is changing with the advent of drones, precision-guided weapons, missiles, satellites, artificial intelligence and cyber warfare, the relevance of tanks has not diminished but 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’. There is a need to equip our tanks with superior sensors and capabilities aligned with modern battlefield requirements. Our focus is to provide the soldiers with drones, missiles, artillery, electronic warfare capabilities, energy weapons and modernised tanks, and ensure seamless coordination among them. This overhaul facility will advance this vision,” said Rajnath Singh.
He highlighted that the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, has supplied around 4,400 tanks to the Indian Army over the past four decades, underscoring its significant contribution to strengthening the country’s armoured capabilities. He said the new project would further reinforce Jabalpur’s identity as a major hub for defence technology, maintenance, modernisation and manufacturing. Expressing confidence in Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), he noted that the organisation’s 25 years of experience in overhauling T-72 and T-90 variant tanks would enable it to set new benchmarks in quality, productivity, innovation and global competitiveness in the years ahead.
Rajnath Singh highlighted that the Government’s determined efforts towards building an ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Bharat are transforming India’s defence sector and reshaping the world’s perception of the country.
He noted that sustained efforts over the past decade have led to a record rise in defence production, which reached around Rs 1.80 lakh crore in Financial Year 2025-26, up from Rs 46,000 crore in 2014. Defence exports have also surged to an all-time high of approximately Rs 39,000 crore, compared with less than Rs 1,000 crore earlier. He described these milestones as a reflection of India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub, a reliable technology partner and a trusted defence partner.
On the evolving nature of warfare, the Defence Minister asserted that nations with advanced technologies, resilient supply chains, robust industrial capacity, and dynamic innovation capabilities will be better equipped to withstand prolonged conflicts. He stated that the Government is committed to ensuring that the defence forces are not dependent on foreign supply chains for critical requirements.
“Our aim is to manufacture defence equipment domestically, undertake repair and maintenance within the country, upgrade existing systems with modern technologies, and develop next-generation capabilities indigenously,” he said.
The T-Series tank overhauling facilities will create significant opportunities for MSMEs by generating demand for a wide range of mechanical, electrical, electronic and hydraulic components, assemblies and subsystems. Sourcing these items will help build a robust and resilient supply chain while opening up avenues for local MSMEs in manufacturing and ancillary services related to tank overhauling.
The project is expected to deepen the participation of local industry and contribute to the development of a strong and self-sustaining industrial ecosystem. Rajnath Singh said the project would prove to be a boon for soldiers while generating employment opportunities for people in Jabalpur and surrounding areas, including farmers, workers, youth and small entrepreneurs.
Defence Minister commended the Government of Madhya Pradesh for its proactive and committed efforts to promote industry, investment and defence manufacturing in the state. He said the Global Investors Summit 2025, the transparent and seamless approval system through ‘Invest MP 3.0’, and industry-friendly policies are helping establish Madhya Pradesh as an attractive investment destination.
Highlighting the prospects for defence manufacturing across 3,073 hectares of land in the Gwalior-Chambal region and proposed investments exceeding Rs 16,960 crore, he said these initiatives reflected the state’s vision and were laying a strong foundation for Madhya Pradesh to emerge as India’s next major Defence and Aerospace Manufacturing Hub.
Speaking on the occasion, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav appreciated the investment being made in Jabalpur, stating that it would strengthen the defence ecosystem and encourage greater participation of MSMEs in the state. He credited the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s growing stature on the global stage and said the nation was prepared to meet all kinds of challenges. Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, CMD, AVNL Shri Satyabrata Mukherjee, and other senior officials from the Department of Defence Production, AVNL and the armed forces were also present on the occasion.
-PIB
