Retired Colonel Hails Agniveer Scheme for Technologically Savvy Soldiers

Retired Colonel Divakaran Pillay praised the Agniveer scheme for integrating technologically advanced soldiers into the Indian Army. The scheme, announced in 2022, offers a modern approach to recruitment, providing opportunities for youths to serve the nation with cutting-edge tech skills for a limited tenure without pension benefits.

Retired Colonel Divakaran Padma Kumar Pillay emphasized that the Agniveer scheme harnesses the potential of technologically adept soldiers. He explained, “Agniveer recruits soldiers with advanced tech skills, essential for today's army, which is vastly different from the one in 1944. Modern training shapes their physical, mental, and moral capabilities, ensuring we select real talent.”

Pillay highlighted the historical absence of a structured recruitment or pension plan in the Indian Army. “Historically, there was no fixed recruitment method. Soldiers often returned without pensions after wars, including those in 1947-48, 1962, and 1971, who served for seven years without any pension benefit,” he elaborated.

He further outlined that in 1972, the pension scheme was revised to 70%, followed by a 15+2 years scheme implemented in 1977. He stressed that modern recruitment should not be time-bound but focus on keeping a youthful, technologically advanced profile, as recommended by the Kargil review committee post-Kargil War.

Drawing contrasts, Pillay noted, “During my service from 1988, we used traditional navigation methods like maps and the quadrat system. Today's army uses GPS and sophisticated technologies like sensor-to-shooter systems, making immediate enemy data available. Thus, new recruits must be tech-savvy,” he asserted.

Pillay lauded Agniveer for providing opportunities to technologically advanced youths who prefer short-term national service. The Agnipath scheme, introduced by the Centre in June 2022, aims for a youthful Armed Forces profile. 'Agniveers' benefit from various post-service job avenues and a tax-exempt Seva Nidhi Package of Rs 11.71 lakhs but do not receive pensions.