A senior defence official involved in deals between the two nations told Sputnik India that T-72 tanks will be upgraded in India and then exported. The Indian Army has around 2,500 of these tanks, which serve as its main battle tank. India began inducting these tanks into its army in the 1970s.
Production of T-72 tanks in India began in the 1980s at the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi, near Chennai, while 500 tanks were purchased directly from the Soviet Union. In the 2000s, the same factory also produced upgraded T-90 tanks. Now, the plan is to upgrade the T-72 tanks at this facility for export. If this effort proves successful, the export of other Russian-origin armored vehicles, such as BMPs, could also be considered. The Indian Army is preparing to upgrade its BMPs as well.
The T-72 is the most numerous tanks in the Indian Army. Additionally, the army includes around 1,000 T-90 tanks and approximately 100 indigenous Arjun tanks. The T-72 is equipped with a 125 mm main gun, an anti-aircraft gun, and a machine gun.
The T-72 can reach speeds of 60 km/h on roads and 35 km/h off-road. It can also ford rivers up to 1.2 meters deep. India deployed its T-72 tanks in Ladakh during the tensions with China in May 2020, marking the first time these tanks were stationed at such high altitudes.