Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan

The entrance to the institute.

On 29 September 1992, by decree of the Council of Ministers, the academy was established as the Military Commander Engineering Military College. The first group of cadets of the institute began their training for the first time on 23 February 1993, Which was the day when the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan were formed.[4] The college's establishment would prove to be essential to deal with the country's internal conflicts, such as the Tajikistani Civil War. On 30 April 2002, the school was transformed into the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense that the President of Tajikistan by order of President Emomali Rahmon.[5]

The military academy specializes in the enhancement of physical strength, military-political knowledge, and a wide range of capacities to increase the number of professional officers in the military units of the country.[4][6] The cadets, who become commissioned Lieutenants upon graduation, are given seven specialties: gunners, motorized riflemen, tank commanders, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, as well as platoon commanders of engineering units.[7] Military Institute alumni now constitute more than 70% of the commissioned staff of the armed forces.[8] Since 2004, the institute has operated a military aviation department for members of the Tajik Air Force, graduating 150 officers by 2008.[9] The flight department has 12 training classes with 250 seats, 9 workrooms for officers and teachers, a sports hall, a student dormitory, a personnel lounge, and a warehouse for storing weapons and military equipment.[10] The cost of building the four-story building amounted to over 453,000 USD (four million Tajik somoni).[11]

In 2010, for the first time, 75 cadets of the Military Institute took part in the Victory Parade in Moscow. It consisted of the command group (3 officers), a color guard carrying the Flag of Tajikistan (3 cadets) and a parade team (64 cadets).[12] It later took part in the 2015 parade, and in 2020, an alumni company took part in the parade.[13][14] In 2018, Subbotnik was performed by members of the institute in Khujand.[15] In early 2020, a delegation from the Aviation Department visited the Higher Military Aviation School of Uzbekistan.[16]

• Major-General Hokimsho Hofizov (1998–27 January 2006)[17][18]
• Major-General Fayzali Sharifzoda (2006–2015)
• Major-General Ahliddin Majidov (2015–2020)[19]
• Hafiz Azizzoda (2020–Present)[20][21]