Russia demonstrated its unmanned tank Shturm at Tsentr-2026; check what is Indian Army plan for T-72 tanks

Russia has showcased its Shturm unmanned assault tank during the Tsentr-2026 military exercise, highlighting a combat technology that the Indian Army is also seeking to develop by converting its existing T-72 tanks into remotely operated platforms. While the Russian system has reportedly reached an initial level of operational readiness, India’s programme remains at the development and industry-partner stage under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) ADITI 4.0 initiative. The two efforts reflect a growing military interest in deploying uncrewed armoured vehicles for high-risk missions while keeping personnel away from direct exposure to enemy fire.

Named Shturm, meaning “assault”, the Russian heavy robotic system is based on the T-72 tank chassis, a platform also operated in large numbers by the Indian Army. Designed for breaching fortified positions and combat in urban areas, Shturm has been under development for years, with testing first reported in July 2025. Its appearance at Tsentr-2026 marked a further step in demonstrating the system’s potential battlefield role.

India, meanwhile, is pursuing a different approach: retaining the established T-72 platform while developing the technology needed to operate it without a crew inside. The Army’s ADITI 4.0 challenge calls for the conversion of the T-72 into an autonomous armoured fighting vehicle, with a digitised system that can be controlled remotely through an Internet Protocol (IP)-based interface. The official iDEX description says the objective is to integrate legacy tanks into a manned-unmanned teaming framework alongside crewed armoured vehicles.

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How Russia’s Shturm unmanned tank works

The Shturm system pairs remotely operated combat vehicles with a separate crewed command vehicle, which can be based on a T-72 or T-90 chassis. The command vehicle acts as a control platform, allowing operators to direct the uncrewed vehicles without occupying them. The vehicles are intended to remain within direct line of sight, at an approximate distance of three to four kilometres.

The main Shturm configuration carries a shortened 125 mm gun designed for urban combat, along with a bulldozer blade and additional armour intended to improve protection against infantry anti-tank weapons. These features are intended to help the vehicle engage targets and negotiate obstacles in confined or fortified environments.

The use of a separate command vehicle is central to the concept: personnel remain in a crewed platform while the robotic vehicle undertakes tasks in more dangerous areas. Russia’s appearance with the system at Tsentr-2026 has drawn attention to how established tank designs may be adapted for remotely operated combat roles.

Indian Army’s plan to convert T-72 tanks into unmanned vehicles

The Indian Army is seeking domestic technology partners to digitise its T-72 fleet and enable remote operation. The proposal is part of ADITI 4.0, an iDEX programme launched to invite Indian startups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and other innovators to address defence technology requirements.

The official challenge, titled “Conversion of Tank T-72 into Autonomous Armoured Fighting Veh (AFV) Platform”, aims to preserve the tank’s mechanical reliability while enabling it to connect with higher-level control systems through an IP-based interface. The Army intends to integrate the resulting platforms into a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) framework.

In this approach, crewed tanks and uncrewed ground vehicles would operate together. Remotely operated T-72s could be assigned dangerous tasks such as moving through minefields, acting as decoys, spearheading assaults, conducting reconnaissance and patrolling contested areas. These are intended roles for the proposed system, not confirmation that the Indian platform has already entered operational service.

The digitised vehicles are also envisioned as part of connected command networks, allowing information gathered in the field to be relayed to commanders. Human operators would retain decision-making authority, while uncrewed vehicles could be used to reduce the need to expose tank crews directly to threats during selected missions.

The official iDEX challenge was launched on March 19, 2026, with a submission deadline of May 4.

Why the Indian Army is looking at unmanned T-72 tanks

The T-72 has been in Indian service since 1979 and has operated across varied terrain, including the plains of Punjab, the deserts of Rajasthan and high-altitude sectors. The Army’s official challenge identifies the tank as a legacy platform that can still be used by converting it into an autonomous armoured vehicle to support newer battlefield requirements. Repurposing existing tanks could provide a way to extend the usefulness of the platform while adding remote-control capabilities, rather than relying entirely on newly designed vehicles. The programme also fits the Army’s stated objective of integrating unmanned ground vehicles and unmanned aerial systems with its main battle tank fleet.