In a statement on the future of military recruitment, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh announced the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) readiness to absorb more than the current 25 per cent quota of Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme, as conveyed during a media interaction today.
The Agnipath scheme, introduced to rejuvenate India’s military with youthful vigor, has been under scrutiny for its absorption rate into permanent roles. However, Air Chief Marshal Singh expressed a positive outlook on the scheme’s effectiveness, stating, “Our feedback on Agniveers has been very positive. We were asked if we could absorb more than 25 per cent, and we said that we could. The final decision, however, lies with the government.”
The Air Chief Marshal’s comments come at a time when India is also focusing on bolstering its defense capabilities along its borders, particularly with China. Singh highlighted the rapid infrastructure development by China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh sector, paralleled by India’s efforts to fortify its own border defenses.
Addressing the media ahead of Air Force Day, Singh also touched upon the importance of indigenous military production. He emphasised the need for domestic manufacturing to ensure security and autonomy in defense supplies, stating, “If you need to fight a war, you must have weapons manufactured in India. Reliance on foreign supply chains during conflict is not feasible.”
Air Chief Marshal Singh set an ambitious goal for the IAF, aiming for a completely domestically-produced inventory by 2047. He advocated for a shift from stockpiling weapons to having a robust production system in place.
On the subject of current military procurements, Singh confirmed that Russia has delivered three units of the S-400 missile defense system to India, with two more expected next year. He also mentioned ongoing and future inductions of advanced missile systems like Kusha and Akash NG into the IAF’s arsenal.
“Training with war-like situations has been given utmost priority,” Singh added, ensuring that the IAF is prepared to respond effectively to any potential threats. He concluded by affirming that surface-to-air missiles are also being kept at high readiness in strategic locations.
