'Agnipath' scheme aimed at maintaining youthful profile of military: CDS Gen Chauhan

The implementation of the 'Agnipath' scheme has been one of the major reforms towards maintaining a youthful profile of the three services, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan has said. His remarks came at an event in INS Chilka, a premier training facility of the Indian Navy located in Odisha, according to the defence ministry on Sunday.

In his address to the Agniveers, the CDS said the implementation of the 'Agnipath scheme has been one of the major reforms towards maintaining a youthful profile in the services and nation building by providing skilled, disciplined and motivated youth, the ministry said.

Gen Chauhan exhorted the Agniveers to focus on training to become technologically proficient sea warriors.

To gain insight into Agniveer training in the Navy, the CDS took a short tour of the training infrastructure.

He complimented the Navy for imparting high standards of training and shaping the next generation of sea warriors at the facility.

In June 2022, the government rolled out the Agnipath recruitment scheme for short-term induction of personnel with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services.

The Agnipath scheme provides for recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 for four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.