Located on a sprawling 230-acre campus in nondescript Lavad village in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat, a four-year-old national security and police university in India — Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) — has been diligently training security personnel from India and abroad in matters of internal security, correctional administration and policing. Nepal, Cambodia and Nigeria are three countries that have sent the maximum number of security personnel and officials to RRU that now looks to extend its reach by opening new campuses in Jammu and Kashmir, and Dubai.

“The RRU aims to become a global address for education in security matters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has designated RRU as a centre of excellence for national security and defence management. In the last two years, nearly 1,200 foreign officials from various security and law enforcement agencies of 75 countries have benefitted from our short-duration training programmes for one-three months. Cyber security remains a priority for the foreign security personnel and officials who come to RRU. They are also trained in behavioural sciences, forensic investigations, foreign languages, strategy, artificial intelligence, drug trafficking and human trafficking,” says Prof Bimal Patel, Vice-Chancellor of the University, established by an Act of Parliament in 2020.

Compared to 285 foreign security personnel and other officials trained in 2023, 2024 saw a 57 per cent rise with 449 overseas participants being trained by the university through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme that it runs with the assistance of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Under this programme, security personnel and other officials from friendly countries including Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Portugal, Oman, Indonesia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Seychelles, Egypt, Jordan, Ecuador, Tanzania, Zambia and others are trained in various courses related to security, and law and order.

RRU also runs a special programme for security personnel from Mexico. “This year, we have curated long-duration programmes extending for three months for friendly countries from Latin America. It is for the Government of India to decide, which country will benefit from these programmes,” explains Patel, who is a member of National Security Advisory Board of India (NSAB) and United Nations International Law Commission.

Bid for World Police & Fire Games 2029

RRU’s effort to connect with foreign countries is not limited to offering courses. Recently, the university has bid to host the World Police and Fire Games to be held in 2029. “Along with the government, we have bid to host the World Police and Fire Games in 2029. These games are Olympic-type multi-sport event meant exclusively for law enforcement officers and fire personnel. In recent years, the Games has attracted over 8,500 participants for 60 sports. We are very hopeful that we will win the bid to host the games,” says Patel.

New campuses

RRU also runs 40-odd courses including those for upskilling and reskilling 1,000-odd personnel from Indian armed forces, paramilitary, law and order agencies, diplomatic corps, civil services and civilians. “The human resource required for national security and police is being trained and readied through courses offered in 10 schools of the university that teach smart policing, security in defence, strategic studies, artificial intelligence, cyber security, coastal and marine police, behavioural science, forensic investigations, criminal and military laws, physical education, applied science, engineering and technology. Students from across the country apply,” elaborates Patel, adding that the university has placed 76 per cent of the students who enroll for various courses at the university.

RRU, that operates campuses in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Shivamogga (Karnataka), Puducherry, Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh) and Gandhinagar (Gujarat), is now in advanced stages to set up a campus in Jammu and Kashmir, and an offshore centre in Dubai. “We are in the process of opening a new campus in Jammu and Kashmir. We have requested assistance from the State government for the starting of the campus from July 1, 2025. In Dubai too, we will begin offering diploma courses in smart policing and behavioural sciences,” he adds.