Arun Jaitley lays foundation of military headquarters' building

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday laid the foundation stone of the tri-services' military headquarters' building which will have the facility to house the three services chiefs in times of wars in future.

"When we prepare the blueprint of the building, we will keep in mind that we develop a capability where we can fight the future wars from this building," Army Chief General Bikram Singh said.

He said the building would be of no use if it does not have a facility, "where the three services chiefs can sit together in a basement during the times of war." The tri-services Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) was set up on the basis of recommendations of a high-level committee formed in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan.

The Army Chief said the IDS has helped in increasing the jointness among the armed forces for the purpose of war-fighting. Speaking on the occasion, Jaitley said the government would provide all required support for the construction of the new building to be erected near the domestic airport in Delhi.

"The armed forces maintain their property very well and I think that can be an example for others to follow," he said.

Presently, the armed forces function from the South Block but with increasing number of institutions and formations coming under it, the need was felt for creating a separate building. 

The new headquarter will be a green building and is expected to completed in next two-and-a-half years.