55-year-old Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses to be renamed after late BJP Leader Manohar Parrikar

The government on Tuesday decided to rename the 55-year-old Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) as 'Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses'.

The decision has been taken to honour the commitment and legacy of late Parrikar. It will align the vision and aspiration of the premier defence Institute with the contribution of the former defence minister and Padma Bhushan awardee, an official statement said.

The Defence Minister chairs the Executive Committee of the institute's society. An epitome of integrity and dedication in public life, throughout his career, late Parrikar showed a tremendous fighting spirit, taking on the odds with fearlessness. He was Defence Minister from November 9, 2014-March 14, 2017 and steered the Ministry through the tough challenges of attacks like Pathankot and Uri and responded to these with exemplary boldness, it added.

When late Manohar Parrikar was the Minister, India witnessed a series of decisions that enhanced India's security capacities, boosted indigenous defence production and bettered the lives of ex-servicemen. His biggest contribution was towards the implementation of long-standing One Rank One Pension (OROP) demand for the Armed Forces.

He initiated major military reforms with the objective of having a better teeth-to-tail ratio by setting up an expert committee under Lt Gen (Retd) D B Shekatkar for enhancing combat capability and rebalancing defence expenditure.

An autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence, IDSA was established as a registered society in New Delhi in 1965, dedicated to objective research and policy-relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security.

Its aim is to promote national and international security through the generation and dissemination of knowledge on defence and security-related issues. To achieve its goals, the institute undertakes scholarly research, policy-oriented research, dissemination of research findings, training and capacity building and public education. The IDSA has a well-qualified multi-disciplinary research faculty drawn from academia, defence forces etc, representing a diversity of views.

Research at the Institute is driven by a comprehensive agenda and the need to provide impartial analyses and policy recommendations. Since its inception, IDSA has served as a forum to debate important aspects of national and international security. The institute conducts several national and international conferences every year and regularly holds round tables and workshops on important developments.