Rajnath Singh interacts with Defence Estates Service officer trainees in New Delhi, urges them to serve with ‘spirit of service’

New Delhi: The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, on Monday interacted with officer trainees of the 2025 batch of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES), who are undergoing training at the National Institute of Defence Estates Management (NIDEM). He spoke about the role of the defence estates department in managing defence land and the municipal administration of cantonment boards across the country.

Singh spoke about the role of public servants in meeting the evolving aspirations of citizens and delivering services in a people-friendly manner. He urged the trainee officers to carry out their responsibilities with “Seva Bhav”, or a spirit of service.

He also asked the officers to meet people regularly and listen to their grievances. Engaging directly with citizens, he said, would help officers understand their concerns and build public trust.

Singh spoke about the importance of paying equal attention to physical and mental well-being. He encouraged the trainee officers to follow a spiritual path and practise meditation.

The director general of defence estates, Shobha Gupta, was also present during the interaction.

The IDES traces its origins to 1926, when it was established as the military lands and cantonment service. It was renamed the Indian Defence Estates Service in 1985, with officers recruited through the UPSC civil services examination. The service now manages around 18 lakh acres of defence land and oversees 61 cantonment boards across the country.

In December 2025, Singh attended Defence Estates Day celebration marking the Defence estates department’s 100th year. The department oversees a cantonment system that dates back much further, with the first cantonment established at Barrackpore, West Bengal, in 1765.