Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has voiced strong opposition to the Agnipath military recruitment scheme, attributing its formulation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and its imposition on the armed forces. Gandhi emphasized the need to scrap the scheme once the INDIA government is formed at the Centre and reinstate the previous permanent recruitment process. He expressed his belief that the scheme is an affront to the Indian Army and the courageous youth aspiring to protect the nation, characterizing it as a creation of Modi's office rather than an initiative originating within the Army itself.
Introduced by the Centre in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme aims to bring down the age profile of the armed forces by enlisting individuals between the ages of 17.5 and 21 for a four-year term, with the option to retain 25% of them for an additional 15 years. Gandhi further criticized the treatment of martyrs under the scheme, advocating for equal recognition of all individuals making the ultimate sacrifice for the country by granting them the status of a martyr. Gandhi's strong stance against the Agnipath scheme underscores a broader debate regarding the recruitment strategies and policies within the Indian military and the government's approach to strengthening the armed forces.