Indian Defence University

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While the nature of war remains constant, its changing character imposes a premium on military education and the academic preparation required to cope with security challenges

The pressing requirement for India to establish its Defense University (IDU) to improve education and strategic thinking among its armed forces. In today’s changing landscape of warfare it is essential to have an educational system that can adapt to current and future security challenges. This necessity is evident, from the presence of institutions in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and China where multiple universities are dedicated to education. The idea of IDU was initially suggested post-independence with milestones such as a recommendation in 1967 and 'in principle' approval in 2010 for its setup in Gurgaon. However progress has been sluggish. The absence of a Professional Military Education (PME) system poses a gap in India’s defence readiness. IDU aims to blend knowledge with training promoting inter service cooperation through a comprehensive curriculum covering both scientific and humanistic disciplines. This endeavour is deemed critical, for nurturing thinking and enhancing the capabilities of armed forces personnel when dealing with intricate challenges. While the establishment of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) falls short in meeting the requirements of education it underscores the significance of operationalizing IDU effectively to address these specialized needs.