National Defence College to hold 2-day webinar on diamond jubilee celebration; to allocate more seats for friendly nations

As part its Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the National Defence College (NDC), will organise a two-day webinar From November 5 on the theme ‘India’s National Security- a Decade Ahead’.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and NDC Commandant Air Marshal D Choudhury announced the event at a press conference in the national capital.

Kumar said NDC was one of the leading institutions of the world dedicated to intellectual development and strategic training of select senior officers of Armed Forces and Civil Services of India and those of foreign countries.

To cater to continuous demand for more seats from other countries, the defence ministry has decided to increase the capacity of NDC from 100 to 110 in 2021 and to 120 in 2022, he said.

“We will be able to offer more seats to friendly foreign countries from where demand is huge. Necessary infrastructure in this regard is being created. We are going to give additional seats to Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh apart from new seats to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan Phillipines, Indonesia and Maldives,” the defence secretary said.

The first NDC course was held in 1960 with 21 participants. In the Diamond Jubilee Year, it has 100 participants; 75 from India and 25 from friendly countries.

“It is the most prestigious programme for higher management both, in the armed forces and civil services. NDC programme has had very illustrious alumni. Currently, CDS, two Governors, present National Security Advisor, two Election Commissioners, 30 Service Chiefs and 74 Foreign Service officers, over 20 Ambassadors, 4 Defence Secretaries, 5 Foreign Secretaries are alumni of NDC,” the defence secretary said.

Some of foreign alumni have also achieved significant positions in their respective countries, he said.

The keynote address to the webinar would be made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Some of the noted speakers at the programme include, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Foreign Secretary, the Chiefs of the Armed Forces, Queensland University Chancellor Peter Varghese and South Asian University Director C Rajamohan.