Liberalization and brought prosperity to nation but dealt a severe blow to recruitment in armed forces with youth finding armed forces less and less lucrative profession considering difficult and hostile environment in which armed forces operative vis-a vis civil profession. In the state of Himachal Pradesh particularly areas comprising districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur and Mandi, there was craze among school children for joining Army which diminished post liberalization and almost finished after introduction of Agnipath scheme. If take my village as barometer, every home has representation either in Army /BSF with majority in Army. Since last two decades, there have been zero recruitment in Army/ BSF with only one boy joining as Agniveer. This state reflects not only in Himachal but Punjab and Haryana too. In addition, recruitment in Army has also come down post Nepal government saying no for recruitment in Indian Army as Agniveers and drug menace afflicting youth rendering them unfit to clear physical standard tests. Uncertain career environment with limited job opportunities after four years too has affected recruitment of youth in Army rendering a blow to National security. Someone needs to introspect and accept reality.
Agnipath scheme was approved by government of India on 14 June 2022 and implemented later for recruitment of soldiers in Army, Air force and Navy. It is basically tour of duty contract wherein Agniveers will serve for four years. After four years, seventy five percent will be released and reminder absorbed as regular soldiers. As per “The Hindu “dated 23 December 2023 quoting from memoirs of General Manoj Mukund Naravane “Four stars of Destiny”, the scheme had surprised Indian Army and was bolt out of blue for Navy and Air force. We in the Army were taken by surprise by this turn of events but for the Navy and Air Force it came like bolt from blue. It took General some time to explain to Navy and Air Force Chiefs that the initial proposal made in 2020, a model title “Tour of duty “which became the changed format for Agnipath scheme. He had only propagated limited recruitment for army and himself was surprised by broader recruitment. In the initial intake Indian army recruited 40000 Agniveers in two batches, the first batch in December 2022 and second batch in February 2023. The initial salary was revised to Rs 30000 per month after the low salary was flagged. General Naravane writes “This was not acceptable. Here, we were talking about trained soldier who was expected to lay down his life for the country. Surely a soldier could not be compared with daily wager”.
The first and second batch of Agniveers will be completing four years in December 26 and February 27. Out of forty thousand about 30000 or may be more will be released from contract and have to again start from scratch looking for new employment in highly competitive unremunerative employment market. They will find going tough despite quota fixed for them in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
Government has reserved 50 percent of all vacancies for Agniveers in CAPFs and Assam Rifles as constable (GD) with three years of age relaxation for general Agniveers and five years age relaxation for first batch with exemption from physical standard test and physical efficiency test. Despite all the efforts by government at rehabilitation, many out of those released may not find place in CAPFs or anywhere else due to limited number of vacancies and may become part of large unemployed pool. Fact also remains, being trained in use of weapons, can be exploited by anti-national elements. With know-how of military establishments, cells from across the border may try to lure them. Government has to keep a tab on Agniveers released in national security interest and ensure that they are employed in CAPFs and police at all costs. This also gives a message to those aspiring to join armed forces that their well-being and employment will be taken care of by Government. They should not become like short service commissioned officers who find them at cross roads nowhere to go at prime of age.
Scheme strikes at very concept of professional soldiering an essential ingredient, encompassing regimentation and training. It takes about six to seven years for a new entrant to become a trained professional soldier, be it arms or combat support arms or services. It means that the scheme creates big hole or gap in war fighting capabilities. Reasoning that Agniveer scheme is aimed at making army younger and more technical savvy may not be prudent and correct way of looking at national security needs. Army needs young trained professional soldiers and not young semi-skilled unable to fulfil professional obligations of war fighting. The uncertain nature of scheme, may make many disinterested to learn, not bothered affecting morale of sincere and dedicated, lending blow to unit homogeneity and regimentation. It may negatively affect unit and subunit structure, causing fissures in regimentation and professionalism. Scheme in overall impacts national security.
Soldiering is full-time job and not a half-baked contract which keeps contractual at tenterhooks, frustrated and in anxiety. The main imperative behind Agniveer scheme is financial to reduce increasing pension bill of armed forces. It has little connect to national security concerns loudly voiced by veterans. scheme per se seems antithesis to national security architecture. Let’s consider alternatives to Agniveer scheme not from financial but national security perspective.
Like Agniveer, in earlier system, soldiers were recruited between the age of 20-22 years with pensionary benefits. After recruitment let a soldier serve for minimum of 15 years, meaning thereby, he may serve up to 15 years or up to the age between 35-40 years. After he has put in about ten years of service obtain his willingness and assess suitability to serve beyond 15 years and accordingly consider him for promotion as JCO if considered fit for retention up to the rank of Subedar major. Retire majority after 15 years of service with pensionary benefits and with about 25 percent openings in CAPFs. With this government will be able to achieve the aim of younger, technically savvy professionally strong military with financial stability for those moving out and opening in CAPFs and police. The age profile remains young as government desired with Agnipath scheme with trained, mature, regimented soldier part of subunit and unit essential to fight war as cohesive machine.
The comparison with age profile of militaries of US, UK, France, may in may be misplaced both in terms of engagement period and basic training since threat environment for them and us is totally different. India having vast geographical area to defend with extremely varying terrain and weather conditions require manpower centric professional Army to hold all along with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. Soldiering needs with uncertain future make Agniveer scheme unsuitable for Indian security environment. Scheme by character and nature is tailored and aimed at financial savings, not at enhancing combat potential and strengthening national security.
Major General Yash Mor in his piece calls Agnipath scheme “Vinash path” since it not only adversely affects capability and efficiency but will also carry societal negatives which government need to consider. It is also fact that scheme has been criticized by many senior veterans. In all likelihood it was not discussed with stakeholders before implementation. The four years tenure with six months training is too short to build a soldier capable to handle complex weapon systems and appreciate ground conditions to fight. It will degrade military combat effectiveness no end.
Agnipath scheme has created two sets of soldiers. Regular and short service soldiers. Agniveers, as temporary component may be perceived as not interested by those regularly serving. Groupings in unit and subunit structure bode ill for regimentation and professionalism and are not in national security interest.
It is still not late for government to reconsider and revisit Agnipath scheme in the interest of combat effectiveness. There is no harm in making mends in national interest. Government needs to ask itself holistically, is Agnipath scheme enhancing or degrading national combat potential. If answer is “yes or may be” that it is degrading combat potential, it is time to revisit the scheme in national security interest and make it more combat friendly.