The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Gurgaon (Haryana), May 23, 2013: Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today laid the foundation stone of country’s first Indian National Defence University (INDU) at village Binola in Gurgaon district of Haryana.
Those present on this occasion, included Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Foreign Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Kumari Selja, Minister of State for Defence Jitender Singh, Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjeet, Chief Parliamentary Secretary of Haryana Dharambir, Badshahpur MLA Rao Dharampal, Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, Defence Advisor Shivshankar Menon and others.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that India faces a wide spectrum of security challenges, as it lives in a difficult neighborhood. There is a pronounced change in Asia, where multiple security challenges on account of intersection of fragile states, internal conflicts, proliferation of arms and terrorist groups are existing. Besides this, we must also be cautious of our strategic opportunities. Although, India’s security has never been so strong as it is today, yet it is imperative that our defence professionals remain abreast of the complex environment we face. Therefore, we must ensure that our thinkers and policymakers understand the complexities of the situation, the regional and global trends along with new and emerging technologies and developments in defence capabilities and strategies. It is with this point of view that the Committee headed by late Dr. K. Subrahmanyam proposed the establishment of the National Defence University to educate and adequately prepare national security leaders to look at security challenges holistically.
Dr. Manmohan Singh thanked the Haryana Chief Minister Hooda for his generous support for the project of University and in particular for providing land in Gurgaon.
Haryana Chief Minister, Hooda thanked the Prime Minister and Government of India for choosing Haryana as the venue of the prestigious Indian National Defence University. Setting up of the Defence University is a tribute to all soldiers of our country, he said. Hooda said that there is an urgent need today, more than ever before, for creating awareness about the security concerns as well as challenges confronting the country. Defence University will be educating the leaders on matters of security and multi-disciplinary strategy. Hooda assured of all possible help and cooperation from Haryana Government for this University.
Hooda said that during past eight years, Haryana has made remarkable progress in almost every field. Today, it is number one state in per capita investment and also number one state in per capita income among bigger states. The credit of such an unprecedented progress goes to the able guidance of the Prime Minister and blessings of UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi, he said.
Hooda appreciated the gesture of the people of the two villages, Binola and Bilaspur for giving land for this prestigious University and announced Rs. 1 crore each for the development of the two villages.
Defence Minister, A. K. Antony said that laying of foundation of stone of Defence University shows the priority that the government attaches to the national security. He said that INDU will promote and nurture intellectual strength to our security concerns and cater to our needs of Defence Technology and Management. The University will be of international level and will be ready by 2018-19.
The need of having a National Defence University had been felt since long. Subrahmanyam committee prepared its blue print. About 200 acres of land for this was provided by the Haryana Government.
The four existing Defence Institutions- National Defence College, New Delhi, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the Indian National Defence University. Initially, Four colleges related to Defence Studies, Defence Technology, Defence Management and Distance Learning to be set up in the University complex in Gurgaon.
(The author is a Jalandhar-based Journalist.)
