The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is actively gathering feedback on the Agniveers program from all three branches of the military—the Army, Navy, and Air Force—with the intention of making necessary adjustments if deemed necessary. The Agnipath Scheme, introduced in 2022, has become a focal point in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, with the INDIA Bloc promising to abolish the scheme if elected to power. According to sources within the defence establishment, the Services’ personnel department is currently working on addressing this matter, and feedback on Agniveers is regularly provided to the DMA.
In response to concerns raised by the Indian Army regarding declining soldier strength, which is expected to reach its lowest point by the end of the decade, the DMA has convened meetings to evaluate feedback on Agniveer. Without concrete measures to address the shortfall, meeting the sanctioned strength of soldiers may prove challenging, with estimates suggesting it could take another decade to fully replenish the ranks. Potential revisions to the Agnipath scheme, including the retention of 50 percent of Agniveers, have been reported, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed openness to changes if necessary.
Lt. Gen. Anil Puri, former Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs, projected that the number of Agniveers would reach 1.25 lakh in the near future, with an anticipated induction of approximately 1.75 lakh youths under the Agnipath scheme by 2026. The scheme’s gradual implementation, starting with an initial intake of 46,000, aims to analyze its effectiveness and build infrastructure capacity. However, the issue of troop shortages in the Indian Armed Forces, with 1.18 lakh, 11,587, and 5,819 shortages in the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force respectively, was brought to Parliament’s attention in 2021.
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