Agnipath Set To Hit Combat Effectiveness Ex Navy Chief

The controversy swirling around the Agnipath scheme for the induction of soldiers into the armed forces further deepened after former navy chief Admiral KB Singh criticised the recruitment model

Agnipath Set To Hit Combat Effectiveness Ex Navy Chief

The controversy swirling around the Agnipath scheme for the induction of soldiers into the armed forces further deepened after former navy chief Admiral KB Singh criticised the recruitment model saying it will “degrade the combat effectiveness” of the military.

“The only motivation driving the Agnipath is reducing the pension bill. The fact that this scheme will degrade combat effectiveness is known to all who understand national security,” Singh wrote on X on Thursday, in response to a post on the subject by another former navy chief, Admiral Arun Prakash.

Singh’s comments are significant because he was among the key figures involved in discussions on the Agnipath proposal and retired from the top job in November 2021, months before the National Democratic Alliance government announced the scheme in June 2022. The Agnipath scheme was a major departure from the military’s decades-old recruitment system, and seeks to recruit soldiers for only four years, with a provision of retaining 25% of them in regular service.

Indian Army Clarifies Compensation Claims Amidst Political Controversy

The Indian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to honoring the sacrifices of its soldiers amidst a growing political controversy over the compensation provided to the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who lost his life in the line of duty. According to a recent statement from the Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), Agniveer Ajay Kumar’s family has already received Rs 98.39 lakhs as part of the ex-gratia and other benefits. An additional sum of approximately Rs 67 lakhs is slated for disbursement following the final account settlement, pending police verification. This brings the total compensation to around Rs 1.65 crore, adhering to the provisions of the Agniveer Scheme.

Agniveer Scheme Benefits