A major transition is under way within India's higher military leadership, with the offices of the Indian Army and Indian Navy chiefs set to move out of New Delhi's historic South Block, ending a long-standing arrangement that has been in place for decades.

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth is expected to relocate to the newly built Shaurya Bhavan in Delhi Cantonment. The move will also include the Vice Chief of the Army Staff and the Army Headquarters' seven Principal Staff Officers, bringing much of the service's senior leadership under one roof.

At the same time, Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, along with the Vice Chief and other senior naval officers, is set to shift from South Block to Sena Bhavan, situated behind the iconic government complex.

The relocation forms part of a broader reorganisation of defence establishments linked to the government's ongoing administrative restructuring and redevelopment efforts in the national capital.

The Army's operational infrastructure will also be affected. The office of the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Army War Room are expected to move from South Block as part of the transition.

The future location of the Navy War Room remains unclear. Its relocation is considered more complex due to the extensive technological systems, secure communications architecture and specialised infrastructure required to support naval operations.

The Navy had already established a significant presence in Delhi Cantonment with the inauguration of Nausena Bhavan in March 2024. The facility was designed to consolidate naval offices that had previously operated from multiple locations across the capital, improving efficiency and coordination.

Officials from the Department of Military Affairs, including personnel associated with the Defence Intelligence Agency, are also expected to vacate South Block during the ongoing reorganisation.

The move comes amid wider changes across the Ministry of Defence. The ministry has already shifted temporarily to Kartavya Bhavan 2 and is expected to move permanently to Kartavya Bhavans 6 and 7 once construction is completed.

Until then, senior military leaders based in Delhi Cantonment will need to travel to Kartavya Bhavan for meetings with the Defence Minister and other top government officials.

The forthcoming relocation marks the end of an era for South Block, which has long served as the administrative heart of India's military leadership. Once completed, the shift is expected to support greater modernisation, enhanced operational integration and improved working infrastructure for the armed forces' senior command structure.

Agencies