New Delhi

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today said the Agnipath was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheme of things for making India a more secure and strong nation with a future-ready Army and defense forces.

“Agnipath is not a standalone silo; it is part of the Prime Minister’s priority agenda to bring about changes in equipment, technology, manpower, and policy to make India ready for challenges of the future,” he told Smita Prakash of the Asia News International (ANI) in an exclusive interview.

So far, Doval is the first top functionary of the Narendra Modi government to explain the Agnipath recruitment scheme of the defense forces in the light of violent agitations in many parts of the country. Debunking myths and misgivings around the scheme, the NSA said that this is a futuristic scheme and part of the overall strategy to make India and the armed forces of India future-ready.”

He said the environment around India and the world over is changing. “The wars are becoming increasingly contactless.Then there is also an invisible enemy. Future wars will be fought through satellites. We can’t fight tomorrow’s wars with today’s tactics.”

He said that the Agniveer scheme that will weed out the bulk -75 per cent envisages imparting further training to the fittest and the most suitable of the rest into a higher level of skills. This will lead to a system where India will have younger fitter, agile, and well-trained armed forces.”

On the future of Aginiveers, Doval said by the time the first batch would leave the Armed forces, India will be a five trillion dollar economy and a great global manufacturing hub. “In this environment, their skills, quality of training, discipline and openness to learning and being further trained will be an asset.”

“The Agniveers will have age as their biggest asset. They will be in high demand in the job market. Besides,they can use the money they receive at the end of four years of service (Rs 11 lakh) for further studies and skill training.”

He said in today’s time, there is a concept of “one life two careers” and Agniveers would be ready for even three careers.

He blamed the conflict entrepreneurs for stoking fire and instigating the youth against the scheme to go on a path of agitation.

He however said there are genuine apprehensions among the people on the Agnipath and the fear of the unknown.

Explaining the context of the Agnipath, Doval said, “We must understand that security is a dynamic concept; it is not static. Security is always about an environment and we have to protect the national interests and national assets in the same environment.”

He also clarified that there will be no tinkering with thesystem of regiments in the Army. “As such only a few caste-based regiments are left in the Army and these will continue with their nomenclature. Gradually, the Agnipath will lead to a pan-India army in the long run.”

He said that in the past, the government lacked the political willpower to bring about necessary changes for defense forces. The Modi government has brought changes at all levels – right from the policy to arming the forces with new weapons and indigenous manufacturing of defense equipment.”

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