Against the backdrop of massive agitation against the Agnipath scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed the implementation process with the Chiefs of the three Services.
General Manoj Pande, Admiral Hari Kumar, and IAF chief VR Chaudhari apprised the PM about various aspects of the new scheme and selection schedule of the Agniveers, sources said.
Modi met each Chief separately for nearly 30 minutes, they added. The three Chiefs, last week, reached out to the agitators and tried to allay their apprehensions about the Agnipath scheme.
The meetings between the PM and the Services Chiefs took place hours after the three Services said the Agnipath scheme will not entail any change in the existing system of recruitment for soldiers and that it will not at all impact their operational readiness.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday strongly defended the scheme and ruled out withdrawing it in the face of protests.
In an interview to ANI, he said, “We are going toward contactless wars. Technology is taking over... If we have to prepare for tomorrow, then we cannot do things like we did in the past. India has among the youngest populations in the world, so our Armed forces cannot continue to have an average age that is among the highest in the world.”
Speaking about the future of Agniveers who would be demobilised after four years, the NSA asserted that the age of “settling down” is around 25-26 now.
“People are speaking of one life-two careers, even three careers now. When recruits from the first batch of Agniveers retire, India will be a 5-trillion-dollar economy; industry will need people who have age on their side. These men and women will still be young and won’t have family compulsions,” he said.
The NSA said it was “injustice” when the soldier was earlier released only after 15 years. “At that time, the soldier could go back to the village, till the land and live on a pension. Now the scenario has changed,” said the NSA.
He reacted to recent statements that Agniveers will be good plumbers and guards after four years. “We are talking about 22-23-year-olds with Army service; compare them with anyone else their age - these Agniveers will have discipline, skills, and will be highly trainable... No avenue is debarred for them. They will have Rs 11 lakh, with which they can even study further.” He cited reservations in other Government services, including police forces, announced so far.
Doval also said, “There’s a need to look at it from a [different] perspective. Agnipath isn’t a standalone scheme in itself. When PM Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, one of his priorities was how to make India secure and strong. That required many avenues and steps. Agnipath is in that direction.”