India is having premier defence institutes like National Defence Academy (NDA), National Defence College (NDC),College o fDefence Management, and Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) since long to primarily cater the needs of capacity building of defence personnel. However, Considering the changing national and global security scenario and accordingly changing needs of nation against external and internal security threats in the wake of technology intensive security paradigm, trans-national cross border terrorism, and emerging role of defence diplomacy and soft-power in national security, India needs to upgrade its security capacity building infrastructure.

Accordingly, Government of India is planning to establish Indian National Defence University (INDU) through an act of Parliament to promote excellence in the areas of National Security Studies, Defence Technology, Defence Management. This will also promote policy oriented research on all aspects relating to national security, both internal and external. It would also encourage awareness of national security issues by reaching out to scholars and an audience beyond the official machinery. It will also serve as a think tank contributing to policy formulation and debates on security and strategy. INDU will inculcate and promote coordination and interaction not just between the three Armed Services, but also between other agencies of the Government, the Civil Bureaucracy, Para Military Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, Military Technology Developers and Producers, Intelligence Services, Diplomats, Academicians, Strategic Planners, University Students and officers from Friendly Foreign Countries. It would create synergy between the academic community and Govt functionaries. It would make available opportunities for higher studies through distance learning to interested military personnel. It will encourage strategic thinking on defence, and security issues and initiate debate on such issues both nationally and globally. In addition, it will instil a spirit of jointness amongst various elements of the national security system and develop better competence relating to national security issues. It would facilitate to develop network with other national, regional and international institutions or individuals of eminence engaged in the fields of education, research and industry; and would also encourage international and corporate fellowship programmes in the field of strategic studies.

Initially, it is envisaged to set up four new colleges / institutions, namely School of National Security Studies,School o fDefence Technology, School of Defence Management and Centre for Distance and Open Learning at its main campus Gurgaon. The four existing Defence Institutions namely National Defence College (NDC),New Delhi, College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad, Defence Services Staff College (DSSC),Wellingtonand National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Pune are proposed to be brought under the ambit of INDU without diluting their powers or autonomy for award of degrees and diplomas.

Setting up this institute will definitely upgrade the capacity and capability of various organs of security systems of the nation involved in analysing the threat perception, developing and planning strategy to counter perceived threat, analysing identifying various technologies for acquisition to equip armed forces with arms equipment and plateform  to engage adversaries in war including addressing the political, economic and psychological aspects of war suitably.