Union Cabinet Clears 2-Year Second Tour Of Duty For Agniveers

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved an additional two-year engagement period for Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Wednesday. The decision will allow the 75% of Agniveers who were previously required to leave the armed forces after completing their initial four-year tenure to serve for another two years, with an opportunity to join the regular forces thereafter.

Announcing the decision, Singh said the additional engagement period would also create a pathway for all willing Agniveers to be enrolled as regular soldiers after completing four or six years of service, provided they meet the prescribed selection criteria.

Rajnath Singh welcomes Cabinet approval

In a post on X, the Defence Minister thanked PM Modi for approving the proposal and described it as a continuation of structural reforms aimed at building a younger, fitter, technologically equipped and future-ready military.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General NS Raja Subramani, who briefed the media alongside Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, said the decision was taken after assessing the performance of Agniveers serving under the scheme since its launch on June 14, 2022.

Original Agnipath recruitment arrangement

He said the first batch of Agniveers was approaching the completion of its four-year tenure and that feedback from performance evaluations had been encouraging. Under the original arrangement, 25% of Agniveers were eligible for enrolment into the regular forces based on merit, while the remaining 75% were expected to return to civilian life.

Under the revised arrangement, the latter category will receive an additional two years of engagement. At the end of this period, those willing to continue in the armed forces can apply for regular enrolment, subject to objective selection criteria.

Additional opportunity for regular enrolment

General Subramani clarified that the original four-year Agnipath arrangement would remain unchanged and that the scheme had not been discontinued. He said the extended engagement would give Agniveers who could not secure regular enrolment in the initial selection round another opportunity to gain military experience and demonstrate their capabilities.

Describing the decision as a mutually beneficial arrangement, the CDS said the additional service period would allow Agniveers to gain further experience, qualifications and skills while creating another opportunity for their eventual absorption into the armed forces.