Retiring T-72 Tanks to Become 'Robotic Warriors'

In a major modernisation move, the Indian Army has decided not to retire or scrap its ageing fleet of around 2,400 T-72 tanks. Instead, it will upgrade them into autonomous unmanned combat vehicles.

These robotic tanks will be used in high-risk operations, saving the lives of soldiers. The upgrade will extend their service life by another 15-20 years, till 2045-2050.

The unmanned T-72s will operate alongside manned T-90 Bhishma tanks and future FRCVs under the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concept. An autonomous kit will be fitted, enabling remote or fully autonomous operation while retaining the powerful 125mm gun.

Each conversion is expected to cost around ₹25 crore. These robotic tanks will be particularly useful for clearing minefields and leading assaults in high-threat zones.

This decision comes in the wake of lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, where drones and anti-tank weapons have made traditional crewed tanks highly vulnerable.