Agniveer Retention Move

Context

The Indian Armed Forces are mulling over further rationalisation of the retention of Agniveers beyond the current cap of 25%, after some experience on Operation Sindoor and the swift induction of Advanced Military Technologies.

Key Highlights

• The Indian Armed Forces are considering a longer tenure for Agniveers following their 4-year service period under the Agnipath Scheme.
• Currently, only 25% of Agniveers can be recruited as regular soldiers on merit and organizational needs.
• The proposal has slowly gained traction in view of the lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor during operation and the need for trained men for the running of modern military technologies.

What is the Current Agnipath Scheme?

• The Agnipath Scheme was introduced in 2022 to create a younger, leaner and technology-driven military force.
• The scheme provides for four years of service for an Agniveer, which includes training.
• Upon completion of the tenure, only up to one-quarter of the soldiers are retained as regulars, while the remaining ones are helped financially and rehabilitated.

Why Are the Armed Forces Seeking Higher Retention?

• Lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor

  • Experience showed that experienced soldiers were able to perform more effectively in complicated combat scenarios.
  • While the Agniveers did reasonably well, experienced personnel showed superior tactical sense and coordination on the battlefield.

• Need for Skilled Manpower

  • In today’s context, drones, air defence systems, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence are important technologies in modern warfare.
  • These high-level platforms need long training sessions and even more experience in the field to use.

• Maximising Training Investment

  • It takes a lot of time and money to train soldiers on specialized weapon systems.
  • The training of people is an investment that can be amortized over many years, but if they are hired for only four years, then the investment in training does not pay off.

• Addressing Manpower Requirements

  • Thousands of veteran troops leave the Armed Forces every year.
  • More retention of Agniveers would help to keep the operational strength adequate during the transition.

• Strengthening Unit Cohesion

  • When service is extended, greater camaraderie, mutual trust and teamwork can be developed among soldiers.
  • Increased cohesion directly improves the effectiveness of the operations.

Proposed Changes

• The Indian Navy is said to have approached the Navy Board to retain almost 75% of Agniveers because of the technicalities of naval operations.
• The Indian Army and Indian Air Force might suggest the retention be around 50%.
• The overall retention figure might not change, but specialised formations with advanced weapon systems might have a higher retention percentage of experienced Agniveers.

Significance for India’s Defence

• Improves the readiness of the armed forces for future conflicts.
• Bolsters India’s shift towards the use of technology for combat.
• Strengthens continuity in use of complex military platforms.
• Develops a well-rounded team of young and experienced players.
• Helps to deliver long-term defence modernisation and national security goals.

Challenges

• Better retention may lead to a rise in government costs for salaries, facilities and long-term staffing arrangements.
• This increased retention could mean fewer opportunities for new prospective recruits each year.
• There is a need for policy changes with regard to manpower planning and cadre restructuring.
• The core idea of having a more youthful military mix should not be lost in the mix, but should be balanced with operational needs.

Way Forward

• Conduct a thorough review once the performance of the entire Agniveer first batch is analysed.
• Use a tiered retention model for highly technical and/or specialised military units.
• Pursue the continuous modernization of military training in line with the changes in the technology of warfare.
• Maintain transparency, merit selection and maintain operational flexibility.
• Strike an equilibrium between financial sustainability and India’s long-term capability for defence preparedness.

Conclusion

• The proposal does not mark any deviation from the Agnipath Scheme but rather is in tune with the changing dynamics of India’s defence reforms.
• The Armed Forces can develop a more resilient, future-ready and capable military if they can unite and leverage the youthful manpower with the experienced and skilled technologists.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

Q. Analyse the multidimensional challenges posed by external state and non-state actors, to the internal security of India. Also discuss measures required to be taken to combat these threats. (2021)

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