Indian Army is not a job guarantee scheme—8 big reasons to support Agnipath

The United States Army enlists many short-term personnel, with initial contracts ranging from two to six years. The Israeli Defense Forces, on the other hand, rely on a conscription model.

File photo of a protest held against the implementation of the Agnipath scheme | ANI

The Narendra Modi government’s Agnipath scheme continues to spark massive debate. Critics argue that the policy, which aims to recruit young Indians into the Army for four years, undermines military professionalism and job security. And foreign media coverage has significantly exacerbated these misunderstandings and misconceptions.

Take BBC for example, whose 2022 headline read: ‘Is India planning to shrink its army?’ Al Jazeera jumped on the bandwagon, stating: ‘New India army plan may have devastating consequences.’ This is despite 12.8 lakh youths applying for 40,000 Agniveer positions in 2024, with numbers only increasing every year.

In the era of social media, these headlines reach India instantly and create a vicious atmosphere. Some politicians further amplify these narratives, in a bid to fulfil their political motives.

Interestingly, the British Army’s numbers have decreased considerably over the years, from 109,600 in 2000 to 76,950 in 2023, marking a nearly 30 per cent reduction. The British Army is set to further reduce personnel to 72,500 by 2025, in order to focus more on drones and cyber warfare.

However, the BBC chose to report this change with a benign headline: ‘British army to be cut to 72,500 troops by 2025’. No critical take on this by the BBC or any other foreign media outlets.

Keeping aside all this narrative business, I would argue that the Agnipath scheme aligns with global military trends and offers several strategic benefits.

8 reasons why short-service schemes work

1. Military organisations worldwide are increasingly adopting flexible, short-term service models to maintain a technologically advanced, agile, and cost-effective force. For example, the United States Army enlists many short-term personnel, with initial contracts ranging from two to six years. This approach brings fresh talent and allows for quick adjustments in force structure. The US Army is currently reducing about 24,000 jobs to reorganise for future readiness. Despite having a much larger military, the Indian Army hasn’t faced the same frequency of conflicts as the US.

Similarly, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) rely on a conscription model with mandatory service periods of 32 months for men and 24 months for women, ensuring a continuous influx of young personnel. This model allows the IDF to retain capable individuals for professional roles while integrating others back into civilian life with valuable skills. Israel has a lean army with 169,500 active-duty personnel as of 2022.

China has also moved toward a leaner, more technology-focused military. Over the past three decades, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has reduced its personnel by one-third while focusing on specialised skills and advanced technology. In 2018, China announced a reduction of around 300,000 army positions. The country also maintains a large reserve force in the form of the Armed Police, available for military duty if and when needed.

If the world is moving toward shorter and more flexible service terms, can India really afford to swim against the tide?

2. The Agnipath scheme aims to maintain a young force in the Indian Army by continually renewing its personnel. This will reduce the average age of Indian Army personnel by four to five years. Currently, the average age of the Indian Army is quite high at 32. The global average is only 26.

Most officers in India retire after 15 to 17 years of service, often by age 35 to 37, in contrast to the term “jawan.” The issue began with the 1963-67 recruitment surge post the India-China war, where the retirement period was extended from seven to 17 years of service. A temporary wartime measure became a permanent policy, leading to an ageing force and increased pension costs. Now, many jawans are family men – grihasths – and not young soldiers.

3. By transitioning to a model where only a portion of Agniveers is retained as regular soldiers, the Indian Army can manage its long-term financial commitments more effectively. This approach frees up resources that can be reinvested in training, technology, and modernisation efforts, thereby enhancing overall military capability. This will make the Indian military more competent and battle-ready.
4. The Agnipath programmeprovides a solution to the challenge of integrating large numbers of ex-personnel into civilian life. An army officer retiring at around 40 years of age finds it difficult to integrate into a productive life.

The Indian government has introduced measures to support Agniveers who transition out of the military, including opportunities for education, training, and preference in government jobs. This initiative not only supports these individuals in building successful civilian careers but also contributes to the national workforce with disciplined and skilled individuals.

This skilled group can remain in civilian life as a reserve Army and be called for duty if the situation demands it. Every Agniveer going out of the Army after four years of service will get Rs 11.7 lakh, which can act as seed capital for starting a small business.

5. The Ministry of Home Affairs amendedthe Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Recruitment Rules on 6 March 2023. This amendment reserved 10 per cent of vacancies for former Agniveers in the recruitment of the Constables (General Duty) in CISF. This year, the government has decided to provide 10 per cent reservation to ex-Agniveers in the recruitment of Constable (General Duty) and Rifleman in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.
6. Critics of the Agnipath scheme often cite concerns about the loss of military professionalism and job security. However, these arguments seem politically motivated rather than based on the policy’s actual effects. These contentions overlook the extensive training and selection Agniveers undergo. The four-year programme is designed to be intensive, focusing on core military competencies. The best-performing Agniveers can continue their careers in the Indian Army, ensuring the retention of experienced personnel. The skills and discipline gained are also valuable in civilian sectors.
7. The Indian Army is not another job provider, and political debates around the issueare the result of a legacy problem. During the East India Company Raj, the British Indian Army was seen as a job opportunity for Indians. After the revolt of 1857, recruitment shifted from the northern plains to the areas west of Delhi to Peshawar, as the British no longer trusted regions involved in the revolt to supply soldiers.

The British Indian Army fought for the empire, sometimes against fellow Indians, like the dutiful employees of a company. It was, after all, just another job for them. But this can’t be the case now – the Indian Army simply cannot act as an employment agency. Since it is primarily tasked with maintaining national defence and security, the Army needs highly trained and committed young personnel who are ready to face life-threatening situations and uphold India’s interests. In any case, it is not retiring anyone from regular service to implement the Agnipath scheme.

8. Opposition leaders are appealing to an outdated mindset for potential political gain. Many people see the Army as a job offering a regular salary and lifelong pension. While politicians understand that this perspective could harm national interests, they still exploit it.

This undermines the professional nature of military service, and distracts from necessary reforms and modernisation efforts.

However, it’s also important to ensure proper implementation of the scheme. Agniveers are like any other soldiers and should be treated with the same respect. They should be given a military title – say Short Service Jawan/Sepoy – and their uniforms must not be different from other Army Jawans.

Apart from pension, the government must ensure that Agniveers receive the same death benefits as regular personnel. All soldiers killed in action must be treated similarly. The government may consult the armed forces to incorporate these changes to make the scheme more rational.

Dilip Mandal is the former managing editor of India Today Hindi Magazine, and has authored books on media and sociology. He tweets @Profdilipmandal. Views are personal.

(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)