Pune: Effective management of defence land, finding means of increasing revenue in cantonments and providing proper civic facilities were among the key issues discussed recently during Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE) GS Rajeswarans meeting with the CEOs of 19 cantonments, including Pune, Khadki and Dehu Road, and 12 Defence Estates Officers (DEOs) under the Army Southern Command in Pune.A senior defence estate officer, who attended the meeting, told TOI, Cantonments have now become an integral part of cities like Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Secunderabad, among others. The value of land for real estate development is beyond imagination and will increase. Securing vacant defence land plots has to be a top priority for cantonments and defence estate offices which was emphasized at the meeting.Encroachments on defence lands was another issue discussed. There was a delay in acting against encroachers in some cantonments due to various reasons. Many encroach on defence lands taking advantage of this situation. Demarcation of defence or cantonment land parcels is needed, and officials need to visit such plots to thwart encroachments, the official added.We also published the following articles recentlyRajnath Singh to attend Asean defence ministers meet in IndonesiaIndian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of the 10-nation Asean and its dialogue partners in Indonesia. The meeting, known as the Asean defence ministers meeting-plus (ADMM-Plus), will focus on regional and international security challenges. Singh will present Indias views on dealing with these challenges. The ADMM-Plus includes India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the US as dialogue partners. This meeting follows Singhs recent discussions with the US Defence Secretary, where they affirmed their commitment to countering Chinas aggression and promoting an inclusive Indo-Pacific region.US, China, Southeast Asia defence ministers and officials meet amid crisesDefence ministers from the United States, China, Russia, and Southeast Asia convened in Indonesia to discuss geopolitical crises in the region and beyond. The ministers called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a lasting solution in Myanmar. Indonesias defence minister emphasized the need for global collaboration to address the regions security challenges. Topics of concern include the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and Myanmar. The meeting, attended by various countries including the US and Russia, excluded Myanmars generals due to their coup and subsequent violence.Rajnath Singh meets Timor-Leste Defence Minister, reaffirms Indias support for developmentUnion Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Timor-Leste counterpart in Jakarta to discuss Indias support for the countrys development needs. They also explored potential areas for collaboration, including the supply of Indian defence equipment and training. The Timorese counterpart welcomed Indias decision to open an embassy in Timor-Leste and thanked Singh for Indias support in becoming a full member of ASEAN. Singh also interacted with the Indian community in Jakarta and highlighted Indias achievements in various sectors. He is currently attending the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus in Indonesia.

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