Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said battle tanks remain vital to ground warfare despite the growing use of drones, missiles and other advanced technologies, describing them as an “iron wall” on India’s borders that strengthens the morale of troops.
Singh made the remarks after laying the foundation stone for a Rs 472-crore facility at the 57-year-old Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) for overhauling T-series battle tanks.
“Our Army is one of the most powerful forces in the world. T-72 and T-90 tanks are extremely important for ground warfare. They stand like an iron wall on our borders,” Singh said.
“Tanks act as a death knell for the enemy and also boost the morale of our soldiers deployed on the borders,” he added.
Singh said tanks, like other military equipment, require regular maintenance and periodic overhauling to ensure operational readiness.
The upcoming facility will have the capacity to overhaul 80 T-72 and T-90 tanks annually, he said. The Indian Army requires around 230 such tanks to be overhauled every year.
The Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi currently overhauls around 150 tanks annually. The new facility at Jabalpur will help bridge the remaining gap, Singh said.
Singh acknowledged that the character of warfare is changing rapidly, with drones, missiles, artillery, electronic warfare systems and other advanced technologies playing an increasingly important role.
“We need drones, missiles, artillery, electronic warfare systems and modern tanks. Our soldiers should have both tanks and drones, with effective coordination between the two,” he said.
He said the changing nature of warfare did not mean tanks had become obsolete.
“The character of warfare has changed, but that does not mean tanks have lost their relevance. Drones and missiles are important, but tanks continue to have a role. What is needed is not reliance on a single platform, but a combined capability,” Singh said.
Every weapon system has its own strengths, he added, noting that tanks offer mobility and firepower.
“The need today is not to eliminate tanks, but to modernise them. This is not a battle of one weapon against another; it is a battle involving the entire combat system,” he said.
Singh said new technologies were continuously emerging in the defence sector and modern battles could not be won through conventional methods alone. However, tanks would continue to have an important role in ground warfare, he added.
The new tank overhaul facility is being established at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur, a major military vehicle manufacturing unit under Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL).
Established in 1969, the factory initially manufactured Shaktiman 3-tonne vehicles in collaboration with Germany’s MAN, as well as Nissan 1-tonne and Jonga vehicles in collaboration with Japan’s Nissan Motors.
The factory complex covers 330 acres, while its adjoining estate spans another 600 acres, officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)
