Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Thursday laid the foundation stone for the country's first defense varsity, the Indian National Defense University, in Gurgaon, some 40 kms from the national capital.

The university is a first-of-its-kind institution which will be equipped with state-of-the-art training and research facilities on all aspects of national security and strategic policy making. It will be headed by a three-star general of the rank of Army Commander or equivalent.

"Those who pass through the portals of this university will also need to map the contours of future conflicts and understand the relationship between defense and finance, between external and internal security and between defense and diplomacy," Singh said.

Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who was also present at the event, echoed similar sentiments and claimed that the laying of foundation stone of the military university "shows the priority that the government attaches to the national security".

"The university will promote and nurture intellectual strength to our security concerns and cater to our needs of defense technology and management. It will be of international level and will be ready by 2018-19," the defense minister said.

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Defense Jitendra Singh and the chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force were also present at the ceremony.