How India's battle-ready T-72 tanks repelled Pakistan's attacks during Operation Sindoor

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20-05-2025

India deployed its T-72 Main Battle Tanks (MBT) during Operation Sindoor. The T-72 a Soviet-made battle tank designed by Uralvagonzavod. Manufactured by six countries including India, it is used by the armed forces of around three dozen nations including Russia, India, Iraq, Finland and Germany read more
The T-72 tank is used by armies of over three dozen nations including Russia, India, Iraq, Yugoslavia and Finland. Reuters
India used a number of arms and equipment to inflict damage on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
India conducted a number of strikes on terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.
Now, it turns out, that India deployed its T-72 Main Battle Tanks (MBT) during the operation.
But what do we know about the tanks? How were they used?
Let's take a closer look
What do we know about T-72 tanks?
As per Financial Express, the T-72 (MBT) is a Soviet-made battle tank.
Designed by Soviet firm Uralvagonzavod, it was first introduced in 1971.
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As per ArmyRecognition.com, it has its origins in the Russian main battle tank T-72A.
The T-72 MBT was inducted by the Russian armed forces in 1984.
As per The Tank Museum.org, the T-72 is one of the most widely used battle tanks across the world.
Manufactured by six countries, it is used by the armed forces of around three dozen nations.
This includes Russia, Yugoslavia, India, Iraq, Finland and Germany.
As per ArmyRecognition.com, the T-72 has one 125mm gun, one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and one 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
Weighing 44,500 kilos, it has a top speed of 60 kmph.
It has an armour of 200 mm – which offers those inside greater protection.
The tank has a range of around 500 kilometres.
The modernized T-72 tank with additional armour. Image courtesy: Vitaly V. Kuzmin. Wikimedia Commons
It is 9.53 metres long, 6.86 metres wide and 3.46 metres tall.
It comes with fire control system, laser range-finder and NBC protection system.
It can carry a three-man crew.
It carries 44 rounds of 125 mm ammunition – of which 22 rounds are carried on an automatic loading carousel, as per Economic Times.
As per TheTankMuseum.org, the T-72 has been deployed in every major battle of the past two decades.
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The T-72 is the mainstay of the Indian Army's tank fleet.
In India, the T-72 is manufactured at Heavy Vehicles Factory in Chennai's Avadi.
The Indian Army currently has around 2,500 such tanks fitted with 780 HP engines.
As per Financial Express, the latest version of the T-72 features a Global Positioning System (GPS), Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA), and an Integrated Fire Detection and Suppression System (IFDSS).
The tank is known for its ability to cross rivers, as per the newspaper.
How were they used during Operation Sindoor?
An army officer told NDTV that the tanks came all the way up to the Line of Control and took out specific targets .
They were used to destroy any positions by which terrorists could enter India.
'We also hit enemy posts which were facilitating infiltration. We know which posts are used as bases for infiltration by the enemy. An informed call was taken – and the targets were hit,' the colonel, speaking on condition of anonymity, told NDTV.
Though India and Pakistan have called a ceasefire, New Delhi has warned that any further terror attacks will be considered an 'act of war.'
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The Ministry of Defence in 2025 signed a $248 million deal to buy 1,000 HP engines from Rosoboronexport.
The new acquisition of 1,000 HP engines will replace engines of the existing fleet to 'enhance the battlefield mobility and offensive capability of the Indian Army', the ministry said in a statement.
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, bottom right, addresses a press conference after India struck multiple sites inside Pakistani-occupied Kashmir with missiles under Operation Sindoor, in New Delhi, India, on May 7, 2025. AP File
The deal also included a Transfer of Technology (ToT) from Rosoboronexport to India's state-run Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (Heavy Vehicle Factory) under the Make in India initiative.
The Indian defence ministry in 2023 had announced it would make nearly 600 indigenous tanks to replace its aging fleet of T-72s.
India is the world's largest arms importer and Russia has been its top defence supplier for decades, although Moscow's ability to provide systems was damaged by its war in Ukraine, which has made New Delhi look more westward for suppliers.
With inputs from agencies