India’s top military leadership is preparing for a significant administrative transition, with the chiefs of the Indian Army and Indian Navy set to move their offices out of the historic South Block in New Delhi by the end of November 2026. The relocation will mark the end of a decades-long arrangement under which the two service chiefs and their senior officers operated from the iconic government complex.
According to recent media reports, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth will move to the newly constructed Shaurya Bhavan in Delhi Cantonment. The relocation will also include the Vice Chief of the Army Staff and seven Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), who oversee key branches of Army Headquarters. The new facility is expected to bring senior Army leadership together in a dedicated headquarters environment.
Meanwhile, Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, along with the Vice Chief of the Navy and other senior officers, is also expected to leave South Block. The Navy leadership will shift to Sena Bhavan, located behind the existing South Block complex. The Navy already operates from Nausena Bhavan in Delhi Cantonment, which was inaugurated in March 2024 to consolidate several naval offices previously spread across different locations in the national capital.
The relocation will extend beyond the offices of the service chiefs. Important Army operational establishments, including the office of the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Army War Room, are also expected to move from South Block. These facilities play a crucial role in military planning, operational coordination and strategic decision-making. However, the future location of the Navy War Room has not yet been clarified, as its relocation involves specialised infrastructure, advanced technology and secure communication systems.
The development is part of the government’s wider plan to reorganise defence establishments under the ongoing Central Vista redevelopment programme. The Ministry of Defence has already shifted temporarily to Kartavya Bhavan 2. Once Kartavya Bhavan 6 and 7 are completed, the ministry is expected to move into the new facilities, which will also accommodate additional offices of the service chiefs.
At present, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the only senior military leadership position based at Kartavya Bhavan 2. Following the Army Chief’s relocation to Delhi Cantonment, General Seth will need to travel to Kartavya Bhavan 2 for meetings with the Defence Minister and other senior government officials until the permanent arrangements are completed.
The movement will also involve officials working under the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), including personnel associated with the Defence Intelligence Agency. Their offices are also expected to move out of South Block as part of the broader administrative restructuring.
The transition of defence offices began earlier in 2026, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his secretariat moved to Kartavya Bhavan 2. Other ministry offices and associated departments have subsequently been relocated in phases.
South Block has remained an important centre of India’s defence and government administration for decades. Its gradual transformation reflects the government’s efforts to modernise administrative infrastructure and reorganise the functioning of key national institutions.
The upcoming relocation of the Army and Navy leadership represents an important milestone in this process. With dedicated facilities being developed for military and defence establishments, the restructuring is expected to create a more organised working environment for India’s senior military leadership. The final relocation arrangements are expected to take shape by the end of November 2026.
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