Defence Ministry to shift soon, clearing the way for South Block’s retrofitting as a museum
Civilian officers of the Ministry of Defence, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will shift into the Kartavya Bhawan 2 building, it is learnt.
One of the final major steps before work begins on retrofitting South Block to convert it into the new National Museum is the relocation of the Defence Ministry from the heritage building in New Delhi, a process likely to begin soon, The Indian Express has learnt.
After the Prime Minister’s Office officially moved out of South Block in February and North Block was vacated last year, the Defence Ministry will be the last government department to vacate its offices on Raisina Hill, where it has been located since Independence. This will make way for the retrofitting of the two heritage buildings – North Block and South Block – as the new museum.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently moved offices from the heritage building to the new secretariat complex, Kartavya Bhawan, while the Prime Minister’s Office last month moved to Seva Teerth, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on February 13.
After it floated a tender for Rs 298.52 crore to retrofit South Block in November 2025, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is in the process of allotting the work. Government sources say the project will start soon.
Temporary arrangements
Civilian officers of the Ministry of Defence, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will shift into the Kartavya Bhawan 2 building, it is learnt. This is likely to be a temporary arrangement as the Defence Ministry is expected to move into its own buildings, which are being constructed as part of the new secretariat.
Some of the uniformed officials will be moving to the Indian Army’s new Thal Sena Bhawan, under construction in the Delhi Cantonment and likely to be operational in a few weeks’ time. However, given the sensitivity of the ministry’s work, South Block is not likely to be completely vacated for months, it is learnt.
As a part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, South Block and North Block, which were inaugurated in 1931, will be conserved and retrofitted as the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.
Officials from the Ministry say the project is currently in its design phase, adding that the first gallery at North Block is likely to open by the end of this year. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat recently told Parliament that the museum’s curatorial framework is currently being refined through extensive consultation with subject-matter experts to ensure a comprehensive historical narrative.
The overall concept note for the museum will be ready in the next two-three years, as per official sources, while the entire project is likely to take over five years to complete.
The upcoming museum will showcase objects sourced from six Culture Ministry museums, 52 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museums, repatriated artefacts, and items on long-term loan from international institutions, state-level museums, and prominent private collections, as per the Ministry of Culture.
CPWD had started work on conserving North Block after the ministries of Home, Finance, and Personnel moved out to the Kartavya Bhawan-3 last year.
A key part of the Central Vista project is the construction of a new Common Central Secretariat (CCS) comprising 10 buildings, following the demolition of existing government offices, including Shastri Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, and Udyog Bhawan. So far, three of the buildings on Janpath have been completed and named Kartavya Bhawan (KB) 1, 2, and 3.
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One of the final major steps before work begins on retrofitting South Block to convert it into the new National Museum is the relocation of the Defence Ministry from the heritage building in New Delhi, a process likely to begin soon, The Indian Express has learnt.
After the Prime Minister’s Office officially moved out of South Block in February and North Block was vacated last year, the Defence Ministry will be the last government department to vacate its offices on Raisina Hill, where it has been located since Independence. This will make way for the retrofitting of the two heritage buildings – North Block and South Block – as the new museum.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently moved offices from the heritage building to the new secretariat complex, Kartavya Bhawan, while the Prime Minister’s Office last month moved to Seva Teerth, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on February 13.
After it floated a tender for Rs 298.52 crore to retrofit South Block in November 2025, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is in the process of allotting the work. Government sources say the project will start soon.
Temporary arrangements
Civilian officers of the Ministry of Defence, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will shift into the Kartavya Bhawan 2 building, it is learnt. This is likely to be a temporary arrangement as the Defence Ministry is expected to move into its own buildings, which are being constructed as part of the new secretariat.
Some of the uniformed officials will be moving to the Indian Army’s new Thal Sena Bhawan, under construction in the Delhi Cantonment and likely to be operational in a few weeks’ time. However, given the sensitivity of the ministry’s work, South Block is not likely to be completely vacated for months, it is learnt.
As a part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, South Block and North Block, which were inaugurated in 1931, will be conserved and retrofitted as the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.
Officials from the Ministry say the project is currently in its design phase, adding that the first gallery at North Block is likely to open by the end of this year. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat recently told Parliament that the museum’s curatorial framework is currently being refined through extensive consultation with subject-matter experts to ensure a comprehensive historical narrative.
The overall concept note for the museum will be ready in the next two-three years, as per official sources, while the entire project is likely to take over five years to complete.
The upcoming museum will showcase objects sourced from six Culture Ministry museums, 52 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) site museums, repatriated artefacts, and items on long-term loan from international institutions, state-level museums, and prominent private collections, as per the Ministry of Culture.
CPWD had started work on conserving North Block after the ministries of Home, Finance, and Personnel moved out to the Kartavya Bhawan-3 last year.
A key part of the Central Vista project is the construction of a new Common Central Secretariat (CCS) comprising 10 buildings, following the demolition of existing government offices, including Shastri Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, and Udyog Bhawan. So far, three of the buildings on Janpath have been completed and named Kartavya Bhawan (KB) 1, 2, and 3.
