Approved in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme recruits most non-officer soldiers as "Agniveers" on a four-year term, after which only about 25% are retained for a full career.

The announcement triggered widespread protests by aspirants — trains were torched, roads blocked — prompting the government to raise the 2022 age cap from 21 to 23 as a one-off.

The open questions

Veterans and analysts raised serious concerns: shorter service may weaken unit cohesion and the "way of life" ethos of the forces; 75% of trained Agniveers leaving after four years raises questions about their livelihoods; and some commentators worried about absorbing large numbers of arms-trained youth back into the economy.

Supporters argue it lowers the pension bill and creates a younger, more agile force. The honest position is that this is a major, contested change — and it deserves transparent data on outcomes (retention, re-employment, readiness) rather than slogans.