Pune and the Armed Forces
Home of the National Defence Academy and the Army's Southern Command, Pune has been a military city for more than two hundred years.
Quick facts
- Army HQ:
- Southern Command
- Academy:
- National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla
- Cantonments:
- Pune, Khadki, Dehu Road
A military city
Pune has been an important military centre since the time of the Peshwas. The British set up a large Cantonment here after 1818, and today the Army, Navy and Air Force all have important establishments in and around the city.
Main establishments
- National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla: where cadets of the Army, Navy and Air Force train together before going to their own academies.
- Headquarters Southern Command: one of the main commands of the Indian Army.
- Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC): which trains doctors for the armed forces.
- College of Military Engineering (CME), Dapodi: the training centre of the Corps of Engineers.
- Bombay Engineer Group, Khadki, and the Air Force station at Lohegaon, which shares its runway with Pune airport.
- DRDO research laboratories at Pashan and Dighi, the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology at Girinagar, and ordnance factories at Khadki and Dehu Road.
Cantonments
Pune has three cantonment boards: Pune (Camp), Khadki and Dehu Road. Their wide roads, old bungalows and churches still carry the feel of the nineteenth century.
More in Pune at a Glance
- ATMs in Pune How to find the nearest ATM in Pune, free withdrawals and charges, cash without a card through UPI, and what to do if cash does not come out.
- History and Culture of Pune From the Rashtrakutas and Yadavas to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas and modern IT: how Pune became the cultural capital of Maharashtra.
- Pune in Brief A short introduction to Pune: where it is, how it grew, its weather and what the city is known for today.
- Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) The civic body that runs Pune city: its history since 1858, its 75 years as a corporation, its size today and the work it does.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Pune Quick answers to the questions people most often ask about Pune.
Questions and answers
Where is NDA in Pune?
The National Defence Academy is at Khadakwasla, on the south-west edge of Pune.
Sources: Written by PuneDiary. Facts checked 10 October 2026.