India's Agnipath revamp: Agniveers get two-year extension and a chance to join the Indian Army

Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani on Wednesday (Oct 04) announced a two-year extension of the engagement period under the Centre's Agnipath scheme, a move that lets the majority of Agniveers stay in service and eventually join the Armed Forces. Under the updated scheme, 75 per cent of Agniveers who were earlier set to exit will now be offered an additional two-year engagement period, after which willing recruits can be enrolled into the Armed Forces. The announcement came as the first batch of Agniveers nears the end of its four-year tenure.

"Today is a very significant day for the Indian Defence Forces and for our 'Agniveers'. The Cabinet has created a pathway for all Agniveers to be absorbed into the Indian Army," the CDS told the media.

The Agnipath scheme was introduced on June 14, 2022, with a promise of continuous performance evaluation and periodic review. "Based on the performance evaluations conducted over these four years, we have received very positive feedback regarding their performance," Subramani said.

What changes in India's Agniveer scheme?

Earlier, 25 per cent of Agniveers were to be enrolled into the regular forces on merit, while the remaining 75 per cent were to transition back into society as disciplined, motivated youth. Now, that 75 per cent will get two more years of engagement. Upon completion, all who are willing will be enrolled into the Armed Forces, subject to objective selection criteria.

"These are the four major aspects of this scheme," the CDS said of the Cabinet decision.

Why it matters

The scheme, launched in 2022 to keep the forces youthful and dynamic, had drawn criticism over its short engagement period. That criticism prompted several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra, to offer Agniveers reservations in police and other services.