National Defence Academy

The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the joint defence academy of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force train together before moving to their respective service academies for further pre-commission training. Located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra, it is the first tri-service academy in the world. Its origins trace to a 1946 report by Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck recommending a Joint Services Military Academy modeled on West Point. An interim Joint Services Wing was set up in Dehradun in 1949, and the NDA campus was later constructed near Khadakwasla Lake on land donated by the former Bombay State, partly funded by a Sudanese government gift. The foundation stone was laid by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1949, and the academy was formally commissioned on 7 December 1954, with inauguration in January 1955. The campus includes the Sudan Block administrative headquarters, sports facilities, and academic infrastructure. Selection is via a UPSC written exam and Services Selection Board interviews. The alumni include Param Vir Chakra and Ashoka Chakra recipients and numerous service chiefs of staff.