Agniveers Will Never Constitute The Whole Army: NSA Ajit Doval Amid Agnipath Stir | Top Quotes

Speaking about the training of Agniveers, Doval said, "Those Agniveers who become regulars eventually will undergo intensive training, acquire experience over a period of time."

NSA Ajit Doval.

Source : Twitter/@ANI

New Delhi: Amidst the furore over center's Agnipath military recruitment scheme, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday said that "Agniveers will never constitute the whole army," news agency ANI reported. Speaking about the training of Agniveers, Doval said, "Those Agniveers who become regulars eventually will undergo intensive training, acquire experience over a period of time."

The remarks come amid widespread opposition to the Centre's military recruiting scheme, Agnipath, among armed forces aspirants throughout the nation. 

#WATCH LIVE | NSA Ajit Doval speaks to ANI's Smita Prakash on the #AgnipathRecruitmentScheme and other internal security issues https://t.co/DJ87xXO8j9

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2022

The NSA attempted to assuage fears about the plan by stating that Agniveers' futures are secure and that they do not need to worry about their futures after serving their four-year tenure. When asked if the recruitment scheme might be scrapped in light of the demonstrations, Doval responded no, saying that the policy had been debated and discussed for decades.

The Agnipath initiative, which was unveiled on June 14, calls for the recruitment of young people aged 17 and a half to 21 for only four years, with the option of keeping 25% of them for another 15 years. Several states have seen protests opposing the plan.

Here are top quotes from Ajit Doval's interview with ANI:

1. As far as regiments are concerned, two things need to be understood. Nobody is tinkering with the concept of regiments...They (regiments) will continue. The regimental system has not ended.
2. Every youth of this country who has got the desire and motivation and feels a sense of commitment to defend the country gets an opportunity. His energy and talent are used to make this country strong.
3. As far as regiments are concerned, two things need to be understood. Nobody is tinkering with the concept of regiments. They (regiments) will continue. The regimental system has not ended.
4. Agniveers will never constitute the whole army. Those Agniveers who become regulars eventually will undergo intensive training, acquire experience over a period of time.
5. There's a need to look at it in a perspective. Agnipath isn't a standalone scheme in itself. When PM Modi came to power in 2014, one of his prime priorities was how to make India secure and strong. That required many avenues, many steps - multitude of them.
6. Broadly speaking, they come under the four heads. It requires equipment, it requires change in systems and structures, it requires change in technology, it requires change in manpower, policies and they have to be futuristic.
7. The whole war is undergoing a great change. We are going toward contactless wars, & also going towards the war against the invisible enemy. Technology is taking over at a rapid pace. If we have to prepare for tomorrow, then we have to chang.
8. Security is a dynamic concept. It cannot remain static, it is only in relation with the environment in which we have to protect our national interest and national assets.
9. Post-2019, the mood & temper of the people of Kashmir has totally changed. People are no more in the favour of Pakistan, terrorism
10. My message to the youth who want to become 'Agniveers' is that be positive, have faith in the nation, have faith in the leadership and also in yourself.

(With ANI Inputs)