The foundation stone for National Defence University was laid on Friday.

Chief of Army Staff Prabhuram Sharma kicked off the construction of physical infrastructure for Nepal’s first defence university at Perungedanda in Banepa Municipality of Kavrepalanchok.

The university will produce manpower who can contribute to strengthening and modernising national security and defence through research-based policies and strategies.

Work began on the construction of student accommodation and the central library of the university following the government’s policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2022-23 that said a defence university would be brought into operation.

According to the Nepal Army, the university will help develop a national security network of officers from civil service, Nepal Army and other security agencies through specific educational programmes and academic activities.

In addition, the university aims to support the development of strategic culture and expansion of high-level civil-military relations.

Works, including a 2.6km gravel road, 1,380-metre perimeter wall, 100,000-litre water tank, deep boring, land development and 3-phase power line extension, have been completed with the budget allocated to the university in the fiscal 2019-20, the Army said.

The university is established as per the decision of the Council of Ministers made on February 24, 2020.