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Defence Expert Sanjeev Srivastava on Wednesday hailed the Centre's decision to grant a two-year extension to 75 per cent of Agniveers as a "very important and excellent decision" that will give them a fresh opportunity to serve and a chance for permanent enrolment.
"Those who have completed their term and make up 75% of the total Agniveers will now be given an extra two years. After this two-year period, they will be able to enroll in the Indian Armed Forces by meeting the selection criteria," Srivastava told ANI. "After doing this, they'll get a great opportunity to serve in the Indian Armed Forces and serve there permanently. And obviously, this decision by the Indian government is really important, keeping in mind the long-term structural reforms for the Indian armed forces," he added. Srivastava said the extended tenure, termed a 'second tour', will also bring financial benefits, allowances and other perks for the extra period of service. "Their term will be extended by two years, which will obviously bring them financial benefits. They'll also get their allowances and other perks for the extra time they serve. Plus, they'll get another chance to permanently join the armed forces," he said. He said the move reflects the government's commitment to youth welfare and aligns with the vision of building young, future-ready armed forces. "I believe the Indian government is committed to the welfare, upliftment, and development of the country's youth, and to making their future as bright as possible," Srivastava said, adding, "It will really boost the confidence of our armed forces. It also aligns with this new India's vision and resolve to build young, future-ready armed forces." Earlier, terming the reported extension of service for 75 per cent of outgoing Agniveers a "Diwali gift," former Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh K Tripathi has stated that the move presents a "win-win situation" for both the personnel and the armed forces. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the sixth edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), he weighed in on key developments, including the Agniveer scheme, regional maritime cooperation, and the Indian Navys recent rescue of 20 Iranian crew members. "I haven't read the decision because I was obviously at the conference here, but I've been told that the 75 per cent of Agniveers retiring at the end of this month from different services, the Navy's were the first, have had their service extended by two years," he told ANI. "So this is a very good thing. I'd call it a Diwali gift for those 75 per cent of Agniveers. For them, their families, their friends, and the army. It's also good for the army to have this trained manpower for two more years. You couldn't ask for anything better. It's a great win-win situation for everyone," he added. The Union Cabinet has officially created a complete pathway for all Agniveers to be absorbed into the Indian Defence Forces. The decision follows an extensive four-year performance assessment conducted by the Defence Forces, which yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding overall Agniveer efficacy, physical fitness, motivation, and technological adaptability. As per the Cabinet decision, the originally envisaged 25% of Agniveers will be offered regular employment in the Defence Forces immediately based on merit. For the remaining 75% of Agniveers, an additional engagement period of two years has been approved by the Cabinet, based on candidate willingness and recommendations from the Indian Defence Forces. Post completion of this additional two-year engagement period, All Agniveers will be offered enrolment as regular soldiers, subject to their willingness and meeting specified selection criteria. The second engagement period comes with higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package, and cumulative seniority benefits. (ANI)
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