The Agnipath scheme is the most significant HR transformation that the Armed Forces have implemented in the last four decades. Going down the history lane, until 1965, the minimum service requirement in the Armed Forces was seven years, which was subsequently increased to 10 years (both were non-pensionable). In 1976, this period was further increased to a pensionable 15-year tenure. This was done keeping in line with the then-nature of war which was still workforce intensive. As an aftermath, it led to an increase in the average age of the Armed Forces. The lessons of 1999 enforced the need for a ‘younger fighting force’, which was supported by various expert committees. Even more so, under the UPA rule, in 2009, towards improving the efficacy of the Armed Forces, the 34th SCOD report stressed the need to revert to erstwhile non-pensionable tenures. However, years passed without any palpable decisions. Finally, as part of long-due military reforms, this cat was belled on June 14, 2022, by the inception of the Agnipath scheme.
A lot has changed in the business of warfare since the 1970s. Technological and scientific advancements in microprocessors based on Moore’s law have increased the computational power of chips by enormous proportions. This has led to the evolution of ‘smarter weapons’, drones and other un-crewed systems aided by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, as evinced in the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine as well as Israel and Hamas. In this regard, it can be concluded with certainty that future wars would be technologically intensive and riddled with nuanced complexities. Greater resources would need to be dedicated for developing niche systems so as to remain a relevant and credible fighting force. Also, to operate them, it would be imperative for the Indian Navy to have a well-trained and technically sound human capital. Rightly so, Agnipath is a step in the correct direction and would enable in enhancing the combat effectiveness of the Indian Navy.
The combat effectiveness of a military force is its ability to attain the stated objective. A variety of factors determine how well a force can perform its mission during engagements with an adversary. Combat effectiveness is the only yardstick that any defence reform should be weighed against. With the backdrop of future battle space, the primary factors that would determine combat effectiveness are the superiority of equipment and technology and the quality of human resources. The adoption of the Agnipath scheme would lead to the Indian Navy benefiting exponentially on both these parameters. The following are germane:-
- The training being imparted to Agniveers has been optimised at par with, if not bettered than most advanced navies. In comparison to US and UK recruits who undergo a 10-week basic training course, the Agniveers of the Indian Navy undergo a 16-week course. For PLA (Navy), this duration is 12 weeks. This is followed up by professional training. In comparison to the erstwhile training structure prior to 2022, the new and improved framework has led to an increased employability of the workforce by approximately 20 per cent in the first four years.
- The Agnipath scheme is consistent with the contemporary dynamics of today’s Gen Z and Gen A youth. Their outlook is shaped by exposure to transforming technologies, social and demographic fluctuations, work culture in the corporate world and rapidly changing societal norms. The youth of today are keen to explore multiple avenues prior to choosing their desired career track. Accordingly, a commitment of 15 years acts as a deterrent rather than an enabler for attracting the best available talent even for the most highly motivated youth. A short stint of just four years is therefore optimal towards meeting applicants’ aspirations whilst also enhancing the quality of human capital in junior positions in the Indian Navy.
- The retention of select Agniveers per batch essentially harnesses healthy competition amongst peers thereby improving organisational efficiency. Further, this paradigm would enable a superior permanent/ regular human resource component for the Navy.
- Over the period of the next two decades, the average age profile of the Forces would come down by 4-5 years. Younger sailors would be fitter and would be able to operate more capably in highly challenging environments. Also, the amalgamation of Agniveers and permanent sailors as a composite alloy would provide the Indian Navy with both - the experience of old hands as well as the ‘Josh and Jazba’ that Agniveers bring to the table.
- The continuous rotation of personnel would facilitate technically conversant youth to form the Agniveer cadre. This would act as a key enabler for effectively operating technologically intensive systems.
- In an era of ever more constrained resources coupled with requirements of keeping pace with technological mandates, there is a growing need to extract maximum benefit from the money spent on defence. Agnipath epitomizes this philosophy by reducing the burden on the defence budget. By 2044, it is expected that the Agnipath scheme would have reduced pension expenditure by approx. 60 per cent. The savings in the salary head would amount to approx. Rs 15,500 Crores per annum. The resources thus saved can be effectively diverted towards acquiring newer and better warfighting systems. This, in no way, implies that Agniveers would not be given their due in the eventuality of death in harness. Monetary remuneration exceeding Rs 1 Crore is provided to the next of kin of Agniveers who lay down their lives owing to inherent risks associated with serving in the Indian Navy.
Since the commencement of Agnipath, there has been a lot of bickering, mostly political, about its efficacy. There have been several ill-conceived notions, seldom supported by concrete arguments, rather being driven by ulterior motives. However, the root cause of such perceptions is deeply embedded with the fear of ‘Creative Destruction’. Growth and technological change replace the old with the new. New technologies make existing machineries obsolete. This process creates losers as well as winners in the political arena and in the economic marketplace. It is the fear of creative destruction that is often at the root of the opposition to essential transformation and engines of future success. Growth thus moves forward only if not blocked by the economic losers who anticipate that their economic privileges will be lost and by the political losers who fear that their political power will be eroded. The military forces of a nation are not appeasement institutions. The sole raison-d’etre of these forces is to provide muscle, teeth and fungibility of force for safeguarding national interests. As brought out above, the advantages of Agnipath are far and many and are in perfect synchronisation with the future growth of the Indian Navy. It is imperative that we embrace this long-due reform and not let the fear of ‘Creative Destruction’ get the better of us.
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