How India used T-72 tanks to destroy Pakistani bunkers on LoC during Operation Sindoor

The T-72 MBT was inducted by the Russian armed forces in 1984-Representative photo

India had rolled up T-72 tanks up to the Line of Control during Operation Sindoor to deliver a strong response to Pakistan’s aggression on May 7.

“T-72s are integral. Fitted with 125mm guns and missile capability up to 4,000m, they were moved in as part of joint force deployment,” a senior official told Times of India.

India on May 7 launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people.

What is T72 tank?

The T-72, a Soviet-designed main battle tank, has been used by armed forces across the world. 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. Continuous upgrades have kept the T-72 relevant in modern combat. The Combat Improved Ajeya (CI-Ajeya) tank is a modernized version of the T-72, used by the Indian Army. The tank capability has been enhanced with Global Positioning System (GPS), Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) and Integrated Fire Detection and Suppression System (IFDSS) to the level of contemporary combat vehicles.

T-72 tanks can also cross rivers up to 16 feet deep using a snorkel. The engine must be restarted within six or seven seconds if it stops underwater to prevent flooding due to pressure loss.

India’s use of T-72

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.

During the stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh since 2020, many T-72 tanks were reportedly inducted into the region marked by tough terrain, besides the ones already deployed there.

Why did the T-72 play a key role during Operation Sindoor?

T-72s reportedly remain stationed along LoC alongside BMP-2 armoured vehicles to seal infiltration routes.

A senior official told NDTV that T-72’s key role was to destroy the routes through which terrorists could infiltrate into India - as a pre-emptive measure.

"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," he told NDTV.

According to him, the T-72s are fitted with 125 mm guns  and also have missiles that have a range of 4,000 meters.

Commander Poonch Brigade, Brig Mudit Mahajan told Indian Express that only when the Pakistan Army escalated by indiscriminately targeting civilian areas did the Indian Army decisively shift to hitting their military assets. “The Pakistani Army losses were not just in numbers but in morale and initiative,” he told IE.

According to security experts, Uri was a tactical ground-level surgical strike while Balakot marked the first aerial engagement post-1971. However, Operation Sindoor showcased the fusion of airpower, artillery, and unmanned systems in a coordinated, long-duration strike.