Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the Agnipath scheme on Tuesday, June 14. Under this programme, youngsters will be provided with an opportunity to serve in the regular cadre of the Armed Forces. The recruitment will be for the Personnel Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in the Army, Air Force and Navy for four years, including six months of training. Soldiers recruited under this Agnipath model will be known as 'Agniveers'.
The Department of Military Affairs on June 14, appreciated the government's approval. Addressing a press conference in this regard, Lieutenant General Anil Puri, Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, said, "We will provide an opportunity to the youth to serve the nation for a short and long duration, as Agniveers. We are giving youth a chance for both long and short-duration military service," as reported by ANI.
"Today, the average age is around 32 years. In times to come, it will further come down to 26 years. This will happen in 6-7 years. In order to transform the armed forces into youthful, tech-savvy and a modern force, there's a need to harness the youth's potential and make them future-ready soldiers. Agniveer would be a part of the future-ready soldiers. Agniveer would be India's young protector. After being with us for four years, an Agniveer's résumé and biodata will be very unique. He will stand out in the crowd with his attitude, skills and the time he would have spent with us," he added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed that the Agniveers will form a distinct rank in the three services and will also wear a distinct insignia as part of their uniform. Calling it a transformative initiative, the Minister said, "Efforts are to create a youthful profile of the Armed forces. It would help to train them for new technologies and also improve their health levels. This scheme will increase employment opportunities with new skills in different sectors," as reported by ANI.
