The ministry succeeded the Defense Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan, led by former military commissar of the Tajik SSR General Muminzhan Mamadjanov.

At the time, 200 officers were sent from Uzbekistan to serve in the new Tajik agency on the orders of future President Emomali Rahmon.

On 18 July 1996, a terrorist attack took place at the grounds of the defense ministry, which resulted in the death of one person and the injury of nine people.

[9] In September 2015, a group of armed military personnel led by Abduhalim Nazarzoda attacked the defense ministry in an attempt to overthrow the Rahmon government.

[14] The following have been the newspaper's editor-in-chief:[14] The motto of the publication is "Bravery, honor and loyalty" (Tajik: «Шуҷоат, шараф ва садоқат»).

[14] The Military Medical Department was established in 1999 on the of the Central Office of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense.

[16] The House of Officers (Tajik: Хонаи мандати) is a cultural center and gentlemen's club of the national army.

Construction on the building took place between 2012 and 2016 and was built within the framework of a military agreement between the armed forces and the People's Liberation Army of China.

Previously, a House of Officers carrying the name of Marshal Klement Voroshilov was located in Dushanbe from 1930 to 2003, being controlled by the Russian 201st Military Base.

[24] Its missions include guarding important public buildings in Dushanbe and providing honours for foreign dignitaries and government officials at the Kohi Millat.

Although it is officially part of the Tajik National Army, the brass band is a directly reporting unit of the Defence Ministry.