India's first and only defence university, approved by the union cabinet in 2010, will take about seven years to come up and the land acquisition process at Binola in Gurgaon district of Haryana has begun, parliament was informed on Monday.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony, in a written reply to questions from Lok Sabha members, said the Indian National Defence University (INDU) was accorded 'in principle' approval by the union cabinet on May 13, 2010, and it will be set up at Binola. For this, the Haryana government has already issued notification to acquire land.
"It is projected that the establishment of INDU and its constituents will be spread over seven years," he said.
In INDU, it has been proposed to conduct courses of varying duration on subjects ranging from strategic studies, war gaming and simulation, neighbourhood studies, counter insurgency and counter terrorism, Chinese studies, evaluation of strategic thought, international security issues, maritime security studies, Eurasian studies, South East Asian studies, material acquisition, joint logistics, and national security strategy in peace and war.
The government has engaged Educational Consultants of India Limited (EdCIL), a public sector enterprise under the human resource development ministry, for the preparation of a detailed project report, the layout plan, and draft act and statutes for setting up the university, Antony said.
"An estimated expenditure of Rs.295 crore (at the rate of 2010) for setting up the university and Rs.162 crore (at current rate) for the acquisition of land is likely to be incurred," he added.