Says purpose of Agnipath is to keep forces young & continuously battle-ready
‘Security of the country is more important than politics’
Srinagar, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the significance of the Agnipath scheme in maintaining a young and battle-ready military during his address on the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Speaking in Ladakh, the Prime minister paid tribute to fallen soldiers and lauded the defence forces for their reforms, naming the Agnipath scheme as a crucial initiative.
“The purpose of Agnipath is to keep forces young and continuously battle-ready,” PM Modi stated, addressing concerns over the average age of Indian forces being above the global average. He criticized past administrations for their lack of willpower to address this issue, which the Agnipath scheme now tackles.
PM Modi rejected claims that the scheme was intended to save on pension costs, noting that pension burdens for current recruits would not materialize for 30 years. “The Agnipath scheme will increase the strength of the country and provide capable youth,” he said. He highlighted initiatives to prioritize Agniveers in private sector and paramilitary force recruitment.
The Prime Minister criticized opposition parties for politicizing national security. He accused them of misleading the youth and pointed out their history of neglecting soldiers, citing the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue. “It is our government that implemented OROP, providing over Rs 1.25 trillion to ex-servicemen,” he remarked.
Highlighting a decade of defense sector reforms, PM Modi mentioned that a significant share of defense procurement now goes to the Indian defense industry. He noted that 25 percent of the defense R&D budget is reserved for the private sector, leading to a defense production exceeding Rs 1.25 trillion. “Our armed forces are now more capable and self-reliant,” he added.
Introduced in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to lower the age profile of the armed forces. Only 25% of the approximately 46,000 recruits each year will continue for an additional 15 years after their initial four-year term. Recommended by expert committees like the Kargil Review Committee (2000) and the Shekatkar Committee (2017), the scheme seeks to reduce the average age of military personnel from 32 to 26 years and cut Army pension expenditure.
Under the scheme, Agniveers receive a one-time payment of Rs 11.71 lakh upon completing their four-year tenure but are not entitled to gratuity or pension benefits. This initiative aims to ensure a dynamic and youthful defense force while managing long-term financial sustainability.
