Agnipath context: Border forces may recruit Agniveers, send them to Army, and take them back

[Bagheera0084]

Review Agnipath. Roll it back or change it

By Barkha Dutt
Jul 05, 2024 09:07 PM IST

The problems with the scheme, from ethical challenges to implications for unit cohesiveness, make it clear that status quo is not an option

I have never been convinced of the wisdom of Agnipath — the new and contentious short-term military recruitment scheme — that is back in the headlines.

Today the focus is on the political row between Rahul Gandhi and the Narendra Modi government, after the death of Agniveer Ajay Kumar from Punjab who died in a landmine blast. The government says Kumar’s family will receive a compensation of ₹1.65 crore, of which ₹98 lakh has already been paid. The Congress says the money received by the family, so far, is group insurance and bank insurance, and can’t be considered government compensation.

As an unseemly battle rages, Charanjat Singh, the father of Kumar, who was 23 years old when he died, has a plea: “Mere bete par rajneeti nahi honi chahiye” (There shouldn’t be politics over my son). Evidently overwhelmed by the media and political attention, and the attempts to push and pull him into taking sides, he praised both Rahul Gandhi and defence minister Rajnath Singh, but did say in the end that “My son is a hero, a shaheed… and he should be recognised as such, including the rights to a pension.”

Now, despite TV news channels casually using the phrase ‘martyr’, this nomenclature simply does not exist in the military.

But we should focus, not on the words, but on the spirit of what a devastated father is trying to argue. The Agnipath scheme effectively creates two classes of soldiers within the same unit — the Agniveer and the regular jawan. But the risks they undertake are often the same. Kumar was posted in Rajouri, in Jammu, near the Line of Control. His father is absolutely right in asking why his death in the line of duty should be treated as any different from that of other soldiers.

A parliamentary panel, headed by a Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, also concurred in February this year. The parliamentary standing committee on defence, led by Jual Oram, recommended that families of Agniveers who lose their lives while on duty be given the same benefits as any other soldier. The panel also pointed out that other than some reservation in the central armed police forces (10% of vacancies) there was no other assured employment or skill development programme, especially for Agniveers.

So, basically, a young man between the ages of 17 and 21 years, often straight out of school, who enters the military as an Agniveer, earns ₹30,000 per month in year one, going up to a maximum of ₹40,000 a month, and exits in four years with a lump sum of approximately ₹11 lakh. Only 25% of recruits have a chance of being retained in the military. If the soldier dies or is disabled, his family is entitled to a one-time compensation package, but no lifetime pension or other benefits.

There is an ethical problem with placing different values on life and death.

But there are other grave issues too. In the military, your paltan is everything. Soldiers will take a bullet before they will let their buddy take one. The honour of the regiment is the driver of passion and loyalty. With its emotionless, pass-through model and short training capsules, Agniveer potentially impacts unit cohesion and combat efficiency.

Yes, I take all the points about how modern warfare needs new tools. But do we really have to upgrade our technology and weaponry at the cost of the foot soldier? Why not increase defence spending, instead?

We are on the verge of 25 years since the Kargil War, during which then Army Chief General Ved Malik, famously said, “We will fight with what we have.” The Indian soldier is the product of a passion project. Many recruits may join the Fauj in search of security, but on the battlefield, they are the hardiest, bravest men in the world. And for those pointing to examples from the West, look at what happened to US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The absence of boots-on-the-ground training made both battles unwinnable for them.

No amount of modernisation will replace the need for a soldier to stand hours on end at posts built on jagged peaks, in inhuman weather. There are already two active theatres of conflict — the Line of Control with Pakistan, and the eastern Ladakh region, where China is constantly seeking to intrude. Amongst the earliest Agniveer casualties was that of Akshay Gawate, who died from complications after a Siachen posting. Is his death any less than that of his comrades?

And do we really believe that corporate India and the private sector will generously open its doors to jawans after a four-year term? Not after we have seen jawans who spend a lifetime of military duty struggle to get jobs. Remember the Tiger Hill Vir Chakra spotted directing traffic in Punjab?

We know from the memoirs of former Army chief, General Manoj Naravane, that the Army was not just “taken by surprise” when the scheme was rolled out, but that it also argued for 75% of recruits to be retained. The military also put its foot down on the initial recommendation of ₹20,000 as the starting salary per month, which he wrote “was just not acceptable… Surely a soldier could not be compared to a daily wage labourer?”

Above all, why was such a drastic change, one that directly impacts national security, implemented without so much as a pilot project or trial?

Trolls who talk big on nationalism, today cackle about canteen benefits to Faujis. The pettiness is astonishing.

Agnipath needs to be revisited. Roll it back or change it. Status quo is not an option.

Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author. The views expressed are personal

https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/review-agnipath-roll-it-back-or-change-it-101720193843154.html

@vsdoc @Sharma Ji @Circadian Rhythm @Faceless @Nilgiri @Cryptonian @JaneBhiDoYaaron @pikku @pikkuboss @Guru Dutt @harpy1 @Justin TruDont @Raj-Hindustani @Magadh @vikNerv @panzerfaust 3 @Pataliputra @MirageBlue @Krptonite @Paitoo @SoulSpokesman @Raj-Hindustani

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

Review Agnipath. Roll it back or change it

By Barkha Dutt
Jul 05, 2024 09:07 PM IST

The problems with the scheme, from ethical challenges to implications for unit cohesiveness, make it clear that status quo is not an option

I have never been convinced of the wisdom of Agnipath — the new and contentious short-term military recruitment scheme — that is back in the headlines.

Today the focus is on the political row between Rahul Gandhi and the Narendra Modi government, after the death of Agniveer Ajay Kumar from Punjab who died in a landmine blast. The government says Kumar’s family will receive a compensation of ₹1.65 crore, of which ₹98 lakh has already been paid. The Congress says the money received by the family, so far, is group insurance and bank insurance, and can’t be considered government compensation.

As an unseemly battle rages, Charanjat Singh, the father of Kumar, who was 23 years old when he died, has a plea: “Mere bete par rajneeti nahi honi chahiye” (There shouldn’t be politics over my son). Evidently overwhelmed by the media and political attention, and the attempts to push and pull him into taking sides, he praised both Rahul Gandhi and defence minister Rajnath Singh, but did say in the end that “My son is a hero, a shaheed… and he should be recognised as such, including the rights to a pension.”

Now, despite TV news channels casually using the phrase ‘martyr’, this nomenclature simply does not exist in the military.

But we should focus, not on the words, but on the spirit of what a devastated father is trying to argue. The Agnipath scheme effectively creates two classes of soldiers within the same unit — the Agniveer and the regular jawan. But the risks they undertake are often the same. Kumar was posted in Rajouri, in Jammu, near the Line of Control. His father is absolutely right in asking why his death in the line of duty should be treated as any different from that of other soldiers.

A parliamentary panel, headed by a Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, also concurred in February this year. The parliamentary standing committee on defence, led by Jual Oram, recommended that families of Agniveers who lose their lives while on duty be given the same benefits as any other soldier. The panel also pointed out that other than some reservation in the central armed police forces (10% of vacancies) there was no other assured employment or skill development programme, especially for Agniveers.

So, basically, a young man between the ages of 17 and 21 years, often straight out of school, who enters the military as an Agniveer, earns ₹30,000 per month in year one, going up to a maximum of ₹40,000 a month, and exits in four years with a lump sum of approximately ₹11 lakh. Only 25% of recruits have a chance of being retained in the military. If the soldier dies or is disabled, his family is entitled to a one-time compensation package, but no lifetime pension or other benefits.

There is an ethical problem with placing different values on life and death.

But there are other grave issues too. In the military, your paltan is everything. Soldiers will take a bullet before they will let their buddy take one. The honour of the regiment is the driver of passion and loyalty. With its emotionless, pass-through model and short training capsules, Agniveer potentially impacts unit cohesion and combat efficiency.

Yes, I take all the points about how modern warfare needs new tools. But do we really have to upgrade our technology and weaponry at the cost of the foot soldier? Why not increase defence spending, instead?

We are on the verge of 25 years since the Kargil War, during which then Army Chief General Ved Malik, famously said, “We will fight with what we have.” The Indian soldier is the product of a passion project. Many recruits may join the Fauj in search of security, but on the battlefield, they are the hardiest, bravest men in the world. And for those pointing to examples from the West, look at what happened to US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The absence of boots-on-the-ground training made both battles unwinnable for them.

No amount of modernisation will replace the need for a soldier to stand hours on end at posts built on jagged peaks, in inhuman weather. There are already two active theatres of conflict — the Line of Control with Pakistan, and the eastern Ladakh region, where China is constantly seeking to intrude. Amongst the earliest Agniveer casualties was that of Akshay Gawate, who died from complications after a Siachen posting. Is his death any less than that of his comrades?

And do we really believe that corporate India and the private sector will generously open its doors to jawans after a four-year term? Not after we have seen jawans who spend a lifetime of military duty struggle to get jobs. Remember the Tiger Hill Vir Chakra spotted directing traffic in Punjab?

We know from the memoirs of former Army chief, General Manoj Naravane, that the Army was not just “taken by surprise” when the scheme was rolled out, but that it also argued for 75% of recruits to be retained. The military also put its foot down on the initial recommendation of ₹20,000 as the starting salary per month, which he wrote “was just not acceptable… Surely a soldier could not be compared to a daily wage labourer?”

Above all, why was such a drastic change, one that directly impacts national security, implemented without so much as a pilot project or trial?

Trolls who talk big on nationalism, today cackle about canteen benefits to Faujis. The pettiness is astonishing.

Agnipath needs to be revisited. Roll it back or change it. Status quo is not an option.

Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author. The views expressed are personal

https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/review-agnipath-roll-it-back-or-change-it-101720193843154.html

@vsdoc @Sharma Ji @Circadian Rhythm @Faceless @Nilgiri @Cryptonian @JaneBhiDoYaaron @pikku @pikkuboss @Guru Dutt @harpy1 @Justin TruDont @Raj-Hindustani @Magadh @vikNerv @panzerfaust 3 @Pataliputra @MirageBlue @Krptonite @Paitoo @SoulSpokesman @Raj-Hindustani

She is one of most stupid juornerlist and attention seeker. I never like her

But I need to be agreed on this

 

[Nilgiri]

@Bagheera0084 tagging the crowd is sufficient ONCE per thread. Don't do it for each post, thanks.

 

[Cryptonian]

Agnipath not the right road ahead, must revisit scheme

By Col RD Singh (retd)
Jul 07, 2024 05:10 AM IST

In the Ukraine war, Russia had to withdraw conscripts. It is the man who wins wars, not equipment alone

As a veteran, who served in the cavalry for 34 years with passion, one is not too happy to see Agnipath scheme being implemented. It alarms me, like so many other ex-defence personnel because six months training, four years in uniform, and then out; will we get that type of regimental spirit? Will these young men who have to leave after four years, give their life for the “izzat” of the unit? Will these men not turn sycophants to please their seniors to stay back? Or show two fingers as little at stake! Will all this not weaken the apex of the organisation?

How so ever advanced and modern today’s warfare may be, the ‘man behind the machine’ will continue to be supreme. His training, morale, and devotion can not be compromised by any concerns, be it saving of pay and pension bills or man power etc. A jawan can not be used and discarded like commodities. It is the man who wins wars, not equipment alone. The example of Ukraine war is right in front of us where conscripts had to be withdrawn by Russia.

How does our army be operationally ready to fight a multi-pronged war when it is going to be fed with ‘floaters’! Will they be proud of the uniform if they are going to shed after a few years? Why will they undergo hardships and make sacrifices when 75% of them are going to be ‘released’ ! And let it be clear, all three services spend lakhs of rupees and invest in years of training to prepare and motivate their soldiers, not to feed to the civil society, but to guard the nation’s sovereignty. Army is not a welfare organisation. It does not train soldiers for civil domain. Army is for combat and means business.

Now, let me please remind the environment, that sepoy Ram Singh, guarding the Siachen border or Sowar Sohan Singh braving the heat and dust on his tank in Rajasthan desert (tanks even in mountains today), or the artillery gunner, the sapper, the signals, EME, or the logistics man – they all have passion for soldiering and hate to see their commanders indulging in ‘yes man ship’ or keeping quiet to play safe when they must speak up. It is this man behind the machine, who will win us the war. It is he who will not crib despite shortages and old equipment. We got to be true to him. And he has to be regular, and not on a tour of four years.

I say with conviction that the Indian soldier is par excellence. In motivation, training, discipline, and fearlessness, he out-classes our adversaries. It holds good for all arms and services, be it an air force pilot or the crew of a naval ship. During my service, I have rarely come across a jawan who was coward or not ready to sacrifice his life for the ‘izzat of his paltan’. Our young officers are a treat. See any action in the valley, and it is they who lead the operations and bring down militants. When required, even our commanding officers (COs) take the lead- Col Vasanth Venugopal, Col John Thomas and many more. So, lets not bog down this fine army with half baked soldiers. Let’s not handicap the COs with young men whose eyes are on the civil reemployment after four years.

It takes about five to seven years to fully train and sensitise a soldier, ready to sacrifice his life for the nation. Then, he forgets about his own worries and interests, and breathes the ethos of his paltan. It is these dedicated men who you command during war and peace. And nothing is more important and satisfying than the love and respect of the soldiers you commanded. Every jawan recruited would wish to be a proud soldier till the last day. Lets not imbalance the citadel by this short term recruitment scheme. Once disturbed and weakened, it will be very difficult to restore the fine organisation. There is still time. Let’s please revisit it.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/agnipath-not-the-right-road-ahead-must-revisit-scheme-101720289320063.html

@vsdoc @Sharma Ji @Circadian Rhythm @Faceless @Nilgiri @Cryptonian @JaneBhiDoYaaron @pikku @pikkuboss @Guru Dutt @harpy1 @Justin TruDont @Raj-Hindustani @Magadh @vikNerv @panzerfaust 3 @Pataliputra @MirageBlue @Krptonite @Paitoo @SoulSpokesman @Raj-Hindustani

These importKhor lobbyist Jurnails are still living in their human wave tactic era. It's these sold-out Jurnails who don't care about the lives of the soldiers.

 

[Krptonite]

Agnipath not the right road ahead, must revisit scheme

By Col RD Singh (retd)
Jul 07, 2024 05:10 AM IST

In the Ukraine war, Russia had to withdraw conscripts. It is the man who wins wars, not equipment alone

As a veteran, who served in the cavalry for 34 years with passion, one is not too happy to see Agnipath scheme being implemented. It alarms me, like so many other ex-defence personnel because six months training, four years in uniform, and then out; will we get that type of regimental spirit? Will these young men who have to leave after four years, give their life for the “izzat” of the unit? Will these men not turn sycophants to please their seniors to stay back? Or show two fingers as little at stake! Will all this not weaken the apex of the organisation?

How so ever advanced and modern today’s warfare may be, the ‘man behind the machine’ will continue to be supreme. His training, morale, and devotion can not be compromised by any concerns, be it saving of pay and pension bills or man power etc. A jawan can not be used and discarded like commodities. It is the man who wins wars, not equipment alone. The example of Ukraine war is right in front of us where conscripts had to be withdrawn by Russia.

How does our army be operationally ready to fight a multi-pronged war when it is going to be fed with ‘floaters’! Will they be proud of the uniform if they are going to shed after a few years? Why will they undergo hardships and make sacrifices when 75% of them are going to be ‘released’ ! And let it be clear, all three services spend lakhs of rupees and invest in years of training to prepare and motivate their soldiers, not to feed to the civil society, but to guard the nation’s sovereignty. Army is not a welfare organisation. It does not train soldiers for civil domain. Army is for combat and means business.

Now, let me please remind the environment, that sepoy Ram Singh, guarding the Siachen border or Sowar Sohan Singh braving the heat and dust on his tank in Rajasthan desert (tanks even in mountains today), or the artillery gunner, the sapper, the signals, EME, or the logistics man – they all have passion for soldiering and hate to see their commanders indulging in ‘yes man ship’ or keeping quiet to play safe when they must speak up. It is this man behind the machine, who will win us the war. It is he who will not crib despite shortages and old equipment. We got to be true to him. And he has to be regular, and not on a tour of four years.

I say with conviction that the Indian soldier is par excellence. In motivation, training, discipline, and fearlessness, he out-classes our adversaries. It holds good for all arms and services, be it an air force pilot or the crew of a naval ship. During my service, I have rarely come across a jawan who was coward or not ready to sacrifice his life for the ‘izzat of his paltan’. Our young officers are a treat. See any action in the valley, and it is they who lead the operations and bring down militants. When required, even our commanding officers (COs) take the lead- Col Vasanth Venugopal, Col John Thomas and many more. So, lets not bog down this fine army with half baked soldiers. Let’s not handicap the COs with young men whose eyes are on the civil reemployment after four years.

It takes about five to seven years to fully train and sensitise a soldier, ready to sacrifice his life for the nation. Then, he forgets about his own worries and interests, and breathes the ethos of his paltan. It is these dedicated men who you command during war and peace. And nothing is more important and satisfying than the love and respect of the soldiers you commanded. Every jawan recruited would wish to be a proud soldier till the last day. Lets not imbalance the citadel by this short term recruitment scheme. Once disturbed and weakened, it will be very difficult to restore the fine organisation. There is still time. Let’s please revisit it.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/agnipath-not-the-right-road-ahead-must-revisit-scheme-101720289320063.html

@vsdoc @Sharma Ji @Circadian Rhythm @Faceless @Nilgiri @Cryptonian @JaneBhiDoYaaron @pikku @pikkuboss @Guru Dutt @harpy1 @Justin TruDont @Raj-Hindustani @Magadh @vikNerv @panzerfaust 3 @Pataliputra @MirageBlue @Krptonite @Paitoo @SoulSpokesman @Raj-Hindustani

Stop tagging me,

Matter of fact, ask people if they're interested before sending out an alert

 

[Bagheera0084]

Agnipath back in the limelight

Addressing the media on Army Day, the army chief, General Manoj Pande, stated, “the positivity and integration of Agniveers in units is happening well.

HARSHA KAKAR | New Delhi | January 23, 2024 1:47 pm

Addressing the media on Army Day, the army chief, General Manoj Pande, stated, “the positivity and integration of Agniveers in units is happening well. There are few challenges in terms of training, most of which are at the tactical level, entailing tweaking of our policies, limiting training periods and harmonising firing standards between Agniveers and regular soldiers.” It has become a norm for senior army officers to mention in every media interaction that the Agnipath programme, disputed by veterans, is beneficial, thereby defending a scheme which continues to face criticism.

General Pande also refused to be drawn into controversy by commenting on statements on the subject, from the yet to be released book of his predecessor, General MM Naravane. Excerpts from the book by General Naravane discussing the origins of the Agnipath scheme, mention, “When I had first sounded out the PM about the Tour of Duty scheme, it was more on the lines of a short-service option at the soldier level, similar to the Short Service Commission scheme for officers that was already in vogue.” He added that the scheme once announced by the PMO resulted in the army being taken by surprise, “but for the navy and air force, it came like a bolt from the blue.” It was only the surprise aspect that General Pande countered in his press conference by stating, “I just wish to reiterate here that the final framework (and) structure of the Agnipath scheme came about after a process of consultation and it took into account whatever issues we had to put across.”

Interestingly, General Naravane in an article published in The Hindu in November 2022, well after his retirement, had backed the Agnipath scheme to the hilt. He had commented, “to say that the Agnipath scheme is tinkering with settled systems, or falling back on clichés such as ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it,’ is self-defeating.” He backed the concept of reduced training by mentioning, ‘optimising the training duration is very much a possibility.’ Countering comments on whether Agniveers would be able to bond, he mentioned, “If the supervisory staff in a unit is good, they would make Agniveers feel welcome, mould them and make them a part of the team.”

Finally supporting the concept, he added, “All new schemes have teething troubles and this one too will have its fair share of niggles. As and when these crop up, there will always be room for mid-course corrections. Even the Constitution of India has been amended 105 times. It requires collective resolve to make the Agnipath scheme a success.” If the scheme was so beneficial to the armed forces, then it should have been praised rather than being negatively commented upon in his book, unless General Naravane had a change in perception in the past year. General Naravane has also mentioned in his book that the scheme was proposed by the army for itself, in which 75 per cent soldiers were to be retained and the balance released. However, the government implemented the opposite.

The proposal of the army, forwarded to the government, was unknown to its sister services. This is not the first time that proposals forwarded by one service have surprised the other two. Admiral Arun Prakash discussing the importance of having an effective higher defence organization, in an article for the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, way back in 2007 mentions, “The first information about the impending establishment of the new South-Western Army Command in early 2005, came to the navy and air force only from media reports.” He adds, “The navy and air force were also caught by surprise in end2005, to find that a Cadre Review (as a result of the Ajai Vikram Singh Report) had been implemented exclusively for the Indian Army.” This led to them to push for the same for their own services.

Possibly with a CDS in place such instances would no longer be the norm. General Naravane, in his article in The Hindu, defined the philosophy of the Agnipath Scheme by mentioning, “(India’s) demographic point is a dividend only if it (India’s population) is disciplined and imbued with a nationalistic fervour. This is the underlying philosophy of the Agnipath scheme.” If this was true then the scheme would never have been questioned by other services and veterans. At the end of the day, the navy and the air force had limited possibility of success in challenging the Agnipath scheme. It could only be partially tweaked. The air force and navy are high technology platform centric services for whom a rotatory Agniveer scheme is unsuitable.

The only hope of technology intensive services remains that being an election year, levels of retention could be raised to 50 per cent, thereby providing continuity in handling critical equipment. It was the veteran community which periodically raised pitfalls of a scheme which could derail military preparedness as India continues to face hostile neighbours and tensions along its borders. To convince critics on the suitability of the scheme the MoD issued directions that the Agnipath concept be positively highlighted by senior officers in every interaction with veterans and the press.

The non-recruitment of Gurkhas, due to unwillingness of the Nepal government, to adhere to the flawed terms and conditions of the scheme, will impact India’s goodwill in the country, benefitting China. Even within India, where government jobs are most sought after, the scheme would draw only those who have failed to gain employment in Central Armed Police Forces or under other state and central schemes. There has been regular mention of Agniveers likely becoming cannon fodder for global security companies and sucked into conflict zones. But the government is unwilling to bend.

On ground, Agniveers have been inducted and are now part of units. The government has announced measures for their future employment. How effective will they be can only be gauged once the first batch finishes its mandatory service, a couple of years down the line. Ultimately, it is unlikely that the scheme would be reversed. Thus, as General Manoj Pande mentioned, “From here on, we need to move forward.”

(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)

Agnipath back in the limelight - The Statesman

Addressing the media on Army Day, the army chief, General Manoj Pande, stated, “the positivity and integration of Agniveers in units is happening well.

www.thestatesman.com

 

[Guru Dutt]

Review Agnipath. Roll it back or change it

By Barkha Dutt
Jul 05, 2024 09:07 PM IST

The problems with the scheme, from ethical challenges to implications for unit cohesiveness, make it clear that status quo is not an option

I have never been convinced of the wisdom of Agnipath — the new and contentious short-term military recruitment scheme — that is back in the headlines.

Today the focus is on the political row between Rahul Gandhi and the Narendra Modi government, after the death of Agniveer Ajay Kumar from Punjab who died in a landmine blast. The government says Kumar’s family will receive a compensation of ₹1.65 crore, of which ₹98 lakh has already been paid. The Congress says the money received by the family, so far, is group insurance and bank insurance, and can’t be considered government compensation.

As an unseemly battle rages, Charanjat Singh, the father of Kumar, who was 23 years old when he died, has a plea: “Mere bete par rajneeti nahi honi chahiye” (There shouldn’t be politics over my son). Evidently overwhelmed by the media and political attention, and the attempts to push and pull him into taking sides, he praised both Rahul Gandhi and defence minister Rajnath Singh, but did say in the end that “My son is a hero, a shaheed… and he should be recognised as such, including the rights to a pension.”

Now, despite TV news channels casually using the phrase ‘martyr’, this nomenclature simply does not exist in the military.

But we should focus, not on the words, but on the spirit of what a devastated father is trying to argue. The Agnipath scheme effectively creates two classes of soldiers within the same unit — the Agniveer and the regular jawan. But the risks they undertake are often the same. Kumar was posted in Rajouri, in Jammu, near the Line of Control. His father is absolutely right in asking why his death in the line of duty should be treated as any different from that of other soldiers.

A parliamentary panel, headed by a Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, also concurred in February this year. The parliamentary standing committee on defence, led by Jual Oram, recommended that families of Agniveers who lose their lives while on duty be given the same benefits as any other soldier. The panel also pointed out that other than some reservation in the central armed police forces (10% of vacancies) there was no other assured employment or skill development programme, especially for Agniveers.

So, basically, a young man between the ages of 17 and 21 years, often straight out of school, who enters the military as an Agniveer, earns ₹30,000 per month in year one, going up to a maximum of ₹40,000 a month, and exits in four years with a lump sum of approximately ₹11 lakh. Only 25% of recruits have a chance of being retained in the military. If the soldier dies or is disabled, his family is entitled to a one-time compensation package, but no lifetime pension or other benefits.

There is an ethical problem with placing different values on life and death.

But there are other grave issues too. In the military, your paltan is everything. Soldiers will take a bullet before they will let their buddy take one. The honour of the regiment is the driver of passion and loyalty. With its emotionless, pass-through model and short training capsules, Agniveer potentially impacts unit cohesion and combat efficiency.

Yes, I take all the points about how modern warfare needs new tools. But do we really have to upgrade our technology and weaponry at the cost of the foot soldier? Why not increase defence spending, instead?

We are on the verge of 25 years since the Kargil War, during which then Army Chief General Ved Malik, famously said, “We will fight with what we have.” The Indian soldier is the product of a passion project. Many recruits may join the Fauj in search of security, but on the battlefield, they are the hardiest, bravest men in the world. And for those pointing to examples from the West, look at what happened to US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The absence of boots-on-the-ground training made both battles unwinnable for them.

No amount of modernisation will replace the need for a soldier to stand hours on end at posts built on jagged peaks, in inhuman weather. There are already two active theatres of conflict — the Line of Control with Pakistan, and the eastern Ladakh region, where China is constantly seeking to intrude. Amongst the earliest Agniveer casualties was that of Akshay Gawate, who died from complications after a Siachen posting. Is his death any less than that of his comrades?

And do we really believe that corporate India and the private sector will generously open its doors to jawans after a four-year term? Not after we have seen jawans who spend a lifetime of military duty struggle to get jobs. Remember the Tiger Hill Vir Chakra spotted directing traffic in Punjab?

We know from the memoirs of former Army chief, General Manoj Naravane, that the Army was not just “taken by surprise” when the scheme was rolled out, but that it also argued for 75% of recruits to be retained. The military also put its foot down on the initial recommendation of ₹20,000 as the starting salary per month, which he wrote “was just not acceptable… Surely a soldier could not be compared to a daily wage labourer?”

Above all, why was such a drastic change, one that directly impacts national security, implemented without so much as a pilot project or trial?

Trolls who talk big on nationalism, today cackle about canteen benefits to Faujis. The pettiness is astonishing.

Agnipath needs to be revisited. Roll it back or change it. Status quo is not an option.

Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author. The views expressed are personal

https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/review-agnipath-roll-it-back-or-change-it-101720193843154.html

@vsdoc @Sharma Ji @Circadian Rhythm @Faceless @Nilgiri @Cryptonian @JaneBhiDoYaaron @pikku @pikkuboss @Guru Dutt @harpy1 @Justin TruDont @Raj-Hindustani @Magadh @vikNerv @panzerfaust 3 @Pataliputra @MirageBlue @Krptonite @Paitoo @SoulSpokesman @Raj-Hindustani

in short no it will never roll back no matter how much these PTTALL KAARs cry or this ecosystems whipps up the shitt

 

[harpy1]

These importKhor lobbyist Jurnails are still living in their human wave tactic era. It's these sold-out Jurnails who don't care about the lives of the soldiers.

View attachment 53848

Is this chart our main concern
The fact that we have bloated man power army and military with too much regulation and red tape.

Why can't we have the same figs as the USA UK in percentage terms on wages pensions v equipment

How do we get to that point

I saw massively reduce man power become more efficient and more effective

Otherwise we will get beaten badly next kargil or next galwan

 

[Bagheera0084]

Another day, another anti-Agnipath article. I ask you folks. Do you have any idea how long will it (anti-Agnipath propaganda) continue?

 

[Guru Dutt]

Another day, another anti-Agnipath article. I ask you folks. Do you have any idea how long will it (anti-Agnipath propaganda) continue?

till state elections results in coming months ....... i guess you forgot there anty GST or for that matter Pappu,s GABBAR SINGH TAX

 

[Bagheera0084]

 

[Bagheera0084]

till state elections results in coming months ....... i guess you forgot there anty GST or for that matter Pappu,s GABBAR SINGH TAX

In India there are so many states that there is some election every year in one state or the other. Hence there is continuous political pressure to rollback reforms. Now I understand why the Indian deep state advocates simultaneous elections for central government and states.

@Guru Dutt @vsdoc

 

[Bagheera0084]

The Agnipath debate: Shorter training for Agniveers sparks concerns on military readiness

While eyeing a lower pension bill, the government will end up spending a huge amount on training for only four years of service by three-fourths of the recruited soldiers, sailors and airmen

Pradip R. Sagar
UPDATED: Jul 7, 2024 17:22 IST
Edited By: Ashish Mukherjee

It is a common saying within military circles that the Indian Army, the world’s second-largest force, has been fighting four enemies—two outside, China and Pakistan; and two within, an ageing soldiery and rising pay and pension bill.

While the Pakistan and China fronts have existed for decades, ageing soldiering began mounting pressure in the 1970s when the government extended the colour service for soldiers from seven to 17 years. It means a 20-year-old recruit could manage to serve the nation till the age of 37 years, with pension till death. Even after death, the soldier’s wife would be entitled to family pension, free healthcare, quota for children in higher education, travel discount and a monthly quota of liquor at tax-free rates.

The army’s pension bill skyrocketed when in 2015, the government decided to implement the one-rank-one pension (OROP) scheme, which successive dispensations in the past had resisted. OROP ensures that military personnel who retire in the same rank with the same length of service receive the same pension, regardless of their retirement date. This has led to a substantial rise in the outlay for salaries and pensions in the defence budget, limiting funds for modernisation and procurement of weapons.

In June 2022, to tackle the challenges of ageing soldiery and rising pension bill, the government brought in the Agnipath scheme, by which youth would be recruited at the age of 17-and-a-half years to 21 years, trained for six months, and allowed to serve on any front—from the Siachen heights in the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan.

However, the Agnipath recruitment scheme has invited flak from political and other quarters. Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, have launched a combative attack on the government, accusing it of playing with the lives of the Agniveers (recruited youth). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is leader of the Opposition in the new Lok Sabha, has gone to the extent of saying: “Agniveer is use-and-throw labour. One jawan is getting a pension, while another is not. You are creating a divide between jawans.”

Rahul even claimed that compensation for the family of 23-year-old Agniveer Ajay Singh, who died in a landmine blast near the Line of Control in Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir in January, had not been paid in full. The defence ministry promptly refuted the allegation and said Ajay Singh’s family had received over Rs 98 lakh as compensation so far and, after completion of necessary internal procedures, would get an additional Rs 67 lakh.

But a section of military veterans have different worries. Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash, while reacting to INDIA TODAY magazine’s July 8, 2024 edition story ‘Revisiting Agnipath’, posted on his X microblogging handle: “A lot of attention is (rightly) being focused on in-service disparities & poor post-demob prospects of young Agniveers. But is anyone worried about the huge operational handicap imposed on combat units, forced to accept barely trained recruits, fit only for sentry duties??”

Echoing Admiral Praksh’s opinion, another former navy chief, Admiral Karambir Singh, wrote on X on July 4: “The only motivation driving Agnipath is reducing the pension bill. The fact that this scheme will degrade combat effectiveness is known to all who understand national security.”

The short tenure of training of an Agniveer has always been debated in the military, because a regular trooper is trained in basics like weapon handling and fieldcraft for 44 weeks while Agniveers receive only 26 weeks of training. Some military officials feel tasks like repairing of aircraft, ships or radars, sonars, communication equipment, etc. given to soldiers, sailors or airmen on the job often take years to learn.

Major General Yash Mor (retired), an army veteran, claims it takes over seven years to train a soldier to be capable of handling a tank, BMP (infantry combat vehicle) or air defence and artillery weapon systems. “Technical training is so crucial for handling cutting-edge weaponry. Due to the shorter training period [of Agniveers], this has been ignored, which means we are sending half-trained soldiers to the unit,” he said.

Some in the military counter-argue that in most armies worldwide, soldiers serve for two to three years, and in today’s times, with one week of training, a person can handle drones. Citing the Russia-Ukraine war, an officer noted that Ukrainian soldiers with less than a year of experience are firing missiles at Russian aircraft and tanks.

Critics of Agnipath believe the government is being penny wise and pound foolish. The training costs are indeed significant: the army spends about Rs 16 lakh per soldier, the navy Rs 27 lakh per sailor, and the air force Rs 39 lakh per airman. While looking to cut pension bills through Agnipath, the government will end up spending a considerable amount on training of soldiers, sailors and airmen for only four years of service, with only 25 per cent of the Agniveers transitioning into regular service and the rest exiting after four years.

The Agnipath debate: Shorter training for Agniveers sparks concerns on military readiness

While eyeing a lower pension bill, the government will end up spending a huge amount on training for only four years of service by three-fourths of the recruited soldiers, sailors and airmen

www.indiatoday.in

 

[Bagheera0084]

From the India Today archives (2022) | Agnipath scheme: Baptism by fire

The raging controversy over the military recruitment scheme is a warning to the government that its success hinges on addressing key stakeholder concerns

Raj Chengappa
UPDATED: Jul 7, 2024 17:22 IST
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 4, 2022)

Just two years ago, the Indian Army, which has a strength of 1.2 million personnel, crossed a major milestone: it became the world’s largest ground force. Yet, there was no cause to celebrate. It achieved that distinction because India’s arch-rival, China, had decided to cut its two million-strong land-based People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by about 50 per cent. Significantly, the Chinese government didn’t cite budgetary constraints—in terms of military spend, China is second only to the US and its expenditure is more than three times India’s. Instead, Beijing said, their focus had shifted to building their air force and navy as well as investing in high technology to fortify their overall defence capability. More recently, the US, which despite its superpower status has an active armed force of 485,000, or less than half the size of India’s, decided it would trim it further by 12,000 to enhance quality. Both these countries faced little opposition in pushing through these reforms.

So, when the Modi government introduced Agnipath (Path of Fire), a “transformative recruitment scheme” to imp¬rove the battle readiness of the Indian armed forces by infusing young blood, officials did not expect the fiery resistance to it. Nationwide mayhem ensued for several days, as angry youth torched rail coaches and other public property across states. The agitation threatened to grow as the farmers’ protests over the central government’s agriculture reforms agenda had earlier, eventually torpedoing that whole exercise.

To avoid a re-enactment of that scenario, the defence ministry was quick to address some of the grievances and concerns expressed by both the agitators and a sizeable section of ex-servicemen opposed to the scheme. Simultaneously, the top brass sent out a clear message, saying there would be no rollback and that eligible applicants who were found to have participated in the agitation would be disqualified. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the government’s stand when, at a public rally in Bengaluru, he said, “Many reforms, in the present, may seem unpleasant. But over time, the entire country experiences their benefits. Only the path of reforms can take us to new milestones.” Like many other decisions of the Modi government, it is a bold and brave idea whose time has come. But the devil lies not just in the details, but also in its execution. The proposition is risky for many reasons. Here are some.

IS THE AGNIPATH SCHEME THE BEST WAY FORWARD?

Agnipath is meant solely for the recruitment of soldiers, sailors and airmen, not officers. Under the scheme, 46,000 recruits called Agniveers (40,000 for the army and 3,000 each for the navy and air force) between the ages of 17 and a half and 21 will be inducted this year. (The upper age limit has since been increased to 23 years to compensate for those who missed out because recruitment was suspended for two years due to Covid). They will serve for four years including a training period of 6-8 months, at the end of which only 25 per cent of them would be selected for induction into the regular military cadre to serve for a further 15 years. The remaining 75 per cent would be discharged with a termination package of Rs 10.04 lakh, along with accrued interest, which would be exempt from income tax. The ex-Agniveers, however, will not be entitled to pension, gratuity, health, canteen stores department facilities, ex-serviceman status and related benefits. This is unlike the earlier recruitment policy where those selected go on to serve for a minimum of 15 years unless their services are terminated for indiscipline or medical reasons. The armed forces believe that the training imparted to Agniveers in these four years will make them eligible for employment not only in other government departments but also in the private sector.

The aim is to reduce the age profile of the armed forces, which is currently pegged at a high average of 32 years and bring it down to 26 years. This would be in keeping with the worldwide trend—the average age of a soldier in the UK is 25 years and that in the US, 27. In fact, major powers, including China, US and Russia, have both such short-term voluntary and conscript schemes for their armed forces (see India vs. the World). The need to lower the age profile of the Indian armed forces was felt as far back as after the 1999 Kargil conflict. The Kargil Review Committee had flagged the need to reduce the age of soldiers and make units younger. Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, chief of air staff, says, “We are well aware of the new domains of warfare and for that, we need a new breed of young warriors. The force optimisation—both quantitative and qualitative—is also taking place at the same time.”

The need is even more acute for the army. The sepoy to NCO (non-commissioned officer) ratio is a worrying 1:1.28. This means there are more NCOs per jawan, pushing up the age profile of the army. Lt Gen. Anil Puri, an additional secretary in the department of military affairs (DMA), calls it the josh-to-hosh ratio. Pegging the ideal ratio at 1:1, he says, “You then get the ideal mix of youth and experience, which is the hallmark of a formidable fighting force.” DMA hopes to achieve this ratio by 2030 with Agnipath, with a steady induction of young blood and the continuous retirement of the older jawans.

WILL IT HELP RIGHT-SIZE THE ARMED FORCES?

While Agnipath has been hailed as a step in the right direction, there is no mention officially of the real reason behind the radical reform—paring the salary and pension bill of the armed forces. The money thus saved can be channeled into much-needed capital procurement for the defence forces. The imbalance is obvious--of the total defence allocation of Rs 5.25 lakh crore in 2022-23, the capital expenditure for new equipment and infrastructure development is only Rs 1.44 lakh crore, or 27.4 per cent of the total.

That is because year after year, a huge chunk of the defence budget—as much as 53 per cent—goes toward paying salaries and pensions. The Rs 1.19 lakh crore allocated to pensions of defence personnel is, in fact, more than the revenue expenditure of critical ministries like health. A 2022-23 report by PRS Legislative Research points out how the budget for pensions grew at an annual rate of 10.7 per cent in the past decade, which is higher than the average annual growth rate of the defence budget at 8.6 per cent. The Modi government’s decision to adopt the One Rank One Pension scheme in July 2014 also pushed up expenses further. As a result, the allocation for capex meant to procure big-ticket weapons, fighter jets, submarines, helicopters and other modern military systems has shrunk at a time when our armed forces face a two-front threat from China and Pakistan.

Agnipath will partly help right-size the armed forces, particularly the army, which has bloated over the decades. Currently, as much as 76 per cent of its annual budget of Rs 3.06 lakh crore goes toward honouring its salaries and pensions commitments, and only 8 per cent is devoted to the modernisation of forces. Average annual recruitment in the army was 60,000 before Covid struck and enrolments were suspended for two years. Consequently, vacancies for JCOs or junior commissioned officers and below climbed to 97,177. Under Agnipath, 40,000 people will be added this year, which will dwindle to 12,500 after four years, when 75 per cent of the first batch of Agniveers will be sent home.

The long-term plan is to trim the army’s strength from the current 1.18 million to less than a million. “This will be done in a phased manner over the next decade,” says a senior government official. “It is felt that if the army has to become a modern force driven by technology, it cannot be manpower-intensive.” The financial burden of pensions, too, is expected to ease considerably. Pranay Kotasthane, deputy dir¬ector, Takshashila Foundation, Bengaluru, estimates that letting 75 per cent of Agniveers go after four years alone will have a Net Present Value of Rs 34,500 crore on pension savings. But because pension outflows come much later, Kotasthane, in a recent column, said “these savings will accrue only after 15 years. But just as today’s deficits are tomorrow’s taxes, today’s reform becomes tomorrow’s savings.”

If the central government has downplayed the job cuts in the armed forces and even denied it as an objective, it is because the overall constraints on the Indian economy have significantly shrunk the job opportunities in the past three years. Unemployment is a major issue and the government can ill afford to be seen eliminating existing government jobs. Already, some defence experts are asking why the armed forces are being picked for downsizing when the Modi government has just announced that it will fill up vacancies to the tune of 1 million in other central government departments in the next two years. As one expert said, “While it is okay to have a bloated babudom, we in the armed forces, who put our life on the line, are being subjected to a use-and-discard policy. It is like throwing a spanner into the what has been the strength of the army.” Many feel the government should have been upfront about the need for rightsizing the armed forces and recruit only the numbers needed rather than creating a cadre of terminated Agniveers by tinkering with the established recruiting system.

WHY THE ANGST OVER AGNIVEERS?

If Agnipath’s goal is to make the armed forces young, fighting fit and adaptable, why is there so much resistance and anger towards the scheme? The real reason is, that barring defence circles, thousands of aspirants seemed unaware of the changes and it dropped like a bombshell on them. The Modi government, after all, does have a penchant for ramming through reform without communicating effectively with all stakeholders.

The Agnipath plan was kept under wraps despite several members of Parliament frequently seeking answers on recruitment in the forces. For example, on December 13, 2021, in response to questions in the Rajya Sabha, Ajay Bhatt, the minister of state for defence, revealed in a written answer that 122,555 posts were lying vacant in the three armed forces. The bulk of them were in the army, which had 104,653 vacant posts, constituting 8.7 per cent of its total strength of 1,189,368. The minister also assured the House, “It is the endeavour of our government to fill up the vacancies in the armed forces in a systematic and time-bound manner, which is a continuous process.” Then, in March, to another a question by a member, defence minister Rajnath Singh gave a list of those who had been enrolled for recruitment in 2018-19 and 2019-20, averaging 80,020 in two years. He did admit, though, that since Covid broke out in March 2020, they had suspended the recruitment process for the army. He then went on to reiterate that “sufficient recruitment is being undertaken to meet manpower requirements of the Indian armed forces”.

It seemed like business as usual till the defence minister and three chiefs held a press meet on June 14 to announce the Agnipath scheme. Days later, DMA’s Puri would emphatically state that the services had held over 150 meetings spanning 500 hours to discuss Agnipath, the defence ministry had held an additional 60 meetings of over 150 hours and then the whole of government (including the prime minister’s office) held 44 meetings that took up 100 hours. That comes to 750 hours, or 31 days, of non-stop work 24x7.

Others in the know say that though the process had been on for two years, it lay dormant and that only in May did the PMO ask for work to be speeded up. Initially, the programme was to be called the ‘Tour of Duty’ model of volunteer conscription, with 50 per cent of the recruits being retained and 50 per cent exiting after a four-year period but later they settled for 25 per cent. The prime minister apparently was keen that Agnipath take off because, as an official put it, “He saw it as an opportunity for nation-building through empowered, disciplined and skilled youth with military ethos in civil society. By imparting them specialised skills, the Agniveers will be a talent pool both the government and the private sector can tap.”

Yet, for all its deliberations, the MoD failed to anticipate the disquiet the scheme would generate. As a result, rather than a confident and assertive government announcing a radical scheme, the MoD has been forced to into a damage control mode. They hadn’t factored in the anger of thousands of applicants who had spent months preparing for tests for the army only to find recruitment suspended for two years. The age for the first year was raised from 21 to 23 almost as an afterthought and to accommodate concerns after violence broke out.

Nor did MoD seem mindful of the fact that most applicants who want to join the armed forces are seeking job security and an assured income for at least 20 years. They are not keen on serving for four years and exiting. “What is the point of working hard and preparing to get into the army for four years and then go back to take exams again to get into the police or for any other employment?, asks Manish Yadav, 20, from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Many like him have invested large sums of money in preparing to qualify for recruitment. Ankit Rajawat, 22, from a farmer’s family in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, for instance, has spent Rs 3 lakh. “My parents feel I’ve already spent plenty of time and money on the army dream. They now want me to give it up and take up something else because of the short tenure,” he says.

To allay such concerns, many central ministries have begun announcing a certain percentage of reservation for terminated Agniveers. The Union ministry of home, for example, assured that Agniveers would enjoy 10 per cent reservation in preferential recruitment to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles. The MoD said there would be similar reservations for posts in the Coast Guard and 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings. The ministry of civil aviation said it had plenty of opportunities for them and even big private sector companies like the Tatas and Mahindras said they would hire them. Their good intentions, however, are marred by the poor past record of government departments in absorbing ex-servicemen despite reservations. The CAPF already has 10 per cent reservations for ex-servicemen, but they currently account for barely 1-2 per cent of its total manpower.

Meanwhile, a few armed forces veterans have voiced their strong concerns against the scheme. Several regiments of the Indian Army raised during the British Raj have a history going back hundreds of years and abide by what they call ‘naam, namak aur nishan’. With the new emphasis on “all-India, all-class”recruitment in infantry regiments of the army, all this could change. The army, though, has clarified there will be no changes in regimental traditions. There are a host of other concerns too, such as breaking the spirit of camaraderie and inadequate and compressed training. However, as a senior officer put it, “That ship has sailed. Now, it is our job to make it a success. Things are not written in stone and we will tweak the scheme if there are issues.” Another Agnipariksha awaits the Modi government.

—With Amarnath K. Menon and Abhishek Bhalla

From the India Today archives (2022) | Agnipath scheme: Baptism by fire

The raging controversy over the military recruitment scheme is a warning to the government that its success hinges on addressing key stakeholder concerns

www.indiatoday.in

 

[Bagheera0084]

One may think that the opposition to this particular reform is intense. But the intensest period is already over. The intensest period was when there were plethora of court cases filed against Agnipath scheme. There were about 24 petitions against the scheme.