Indian Defence University: Need and Significance

Context

It is reported that Pakistan has created two universities for its armed forces, while China has three but India has no Defence University even though such a university in India was first proposed in 1967.

Indian Defence University

• Purpose of IDU: IDU aims to bridge existing gaps in Professional Military Education (PME) by providing higher military education with a qualified faculty comprising academics, serving, and retired military officers.
• Diverse Curriculum: The curriculum of IDU would encompass diverse subjects relevant to national security and defense, blending theory with practical application.

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Need For Establishing Indian Defence University (IDU)

• Long Overdue Realization: The establishment of the IDU has been delayed, despite its critical importance for defense preparedness, fostering a strategic culture, and promoting inter-service integration.
• Advancing Joint Warfighting Education: Operationalizing IDU is imperative to lay the foundation for joint warfighting through a forward-looking military education curriculum.
• Rapidly changing the dynamic of Warfare: The dynamic and chaotic nature of warfare, particularly in regions like Europe and West Asia, requires military officers to be able to produce results despite dealing with unclear initial information and rapidly changing circumstances.
• Empowerment through Professional Military Education (PME): To tackle these complex challenges, military officers are empowered through a well-constructed PME continuum. This continuum enhances their abilities to adapt to changing assignments and increasing responsibilities over their long careers.

• Parallels with U.S. Evolution: The evolution of PME in the United States, as exemplified by the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 and Ike Skelton’s report to the U.S. Congress significantly reformed military education in the U.S. armed forces.

Slow Progress in the Establishment of Indian Defence University (IDU)

• Historical Context: The idea of establishing a Defence Services University was proposed as early as 1967 by the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). 
• Committee Formation: Following the Kargil conflict, a committee chaired by Dr K. Subrahmanyam was established to examine the issue of establishing the IDU.
  • Based on its recommendations, in May 2010, ‘in principle’ approval was accorded for the setting up of the IDU in Gurgaon. 
  • Despite some optimistic reportage in 2017-18, the progress on setting up of the IDU has been rather slow.
• Delays in Establishing IDU: Despite initial approval in 2010, progress on establishing IDU has been slow, hindering the development of a unified Professional Military Education (PME) framework.

Challenges in Current System

• Lack of an integrated framework: While India boasts world-class training institutions, there is a lack of an integrated Professional Military Education (PME) framework and interdisciplinary approach to strategic thinking.
• Lack of Military Focus in Curriculum: Affiliations with universities for degree courses do not adequately address military education requirements.
• Inadequacy of RRU: Comparing the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) to the IDU is seen as flawed because the RRU’s objectives and curriculum do not specifically address military requirements for managing warfare and executing plans.

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Conclusion

Prompt action is required to initiate IDU and develop a curriculum aligned with contemporary security challenges and the evolving nature of warfare.

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