JABALPUR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 472-crore facility at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) to undertake the overhaul of T-series battle tanks, in a move aimed at strengthening the Indian Army’s tank maintenance capacity.
The new facility is expected to overhaul 80 T-72 and T-90 tanks every year, officials said.
The Indian Army requires around 230 T-series tanks to undergo overhaul annually. At present, the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi near Chennai handles nearly 150 tanks a year, leaving a gap of about 80 tanks.
The upcoming facility at VFJ is expected to bridge this shortfall and take the country’s overall annual tank overhaul capacity in line with the Army’s requirement, officials said.
The 57-year-old VFJ is a key military vehicle manufacturing unit functioning under Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited and the Ministry of Defence.
Established in 1969, the factory initially manufactured Shaktiman 3T vehicles in collaboration with Germany’s MAN. It later produced Nissan 1T and Jonga vehicles in association with Japan’s Nissan Motors Co.
The factory complex is spread across 330 acres, while its adjoining estate extends over another 600 acres, according to officials.
The new overhaul facility is expected to add to VFJ’s existing capabilities and play a significant role in maintaining the operational readiness of the Army’s armoured fleet.