Agnipath Scheme To Remain; Adjustments Expected In Upcoming Budget

The four-year Agnipath scheme for armed forces service may see changes in the Union Budget or later to enhance its appeal.

Despite opposition protests, the Union government views the scheme as an effective way to improve the youth profile of the armed forces while addressing rising defense pension liabilities, according to two sources familiar with government discussions.

Under this scheme, men and women aged 17.5 to 21 years are recruited below the officer rank in the three armed services, receiving optimized basic military training along with specialized trade training. The scheme allows for the absorption of one-fourth of these recruits, known as Agniveers, into the permanent cadre.

The armed forces have approximately three million retirees, many of whom served in short service commissions, resulting in shorter active service periods and relatively long pension durations for many service professionals.

For FY25, the government has allotted ₹1.41 trillion for defense pensions, accounting for almost one-fourth of the total ₹6.2 trillion defense budget.