Agniveer extension: Rajnath Singh calls it 'Diwali gift'

Rajnath calls Agniveer extension a 'Diwali gift'

The Defence Minister told air warriors at Bagdogra that Agniveers completing an extra two years can seek regular enrolment, subject to willingness and selection.

Aalimi Nation

7 November 2026 · 3 min read

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BAGDOGRA, November 7 (Aalimi Nation) – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday described the Centre's decision to extend the service of Agniveers by two years as a "major Diwali gift", saying those who complete the extended tenure can be enrolled as regular soldiers if they are willing and meet the selection criteria.

Singh was speaking to air warriors at the Bagdogra Air Force station in West Bengal. His remarks came three days after the government announced a revised structure for the Agnipath recruitment scheme following a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What the revised Agnipath structure says

Under the arrangement approved on November 4, the 25 per cent of Agniveers selected on merit will continue to be offered regular employment after their initial four-year term. The remaining 75 per cent will be offered a second two-year engagement, depending on their willingness and the requirements of the armed forces.

Those who complete six years of service, wish to continue and meet the selection standards can then enter the regular cadre. Defence officials have said the move does not amount to a rollback of the scheme, and that enrolment is not automatic. Willingness, physical fitness, discipline and selection norms still apply.

The Defence Ministry has said the second engagement will carry higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and cumulative seniority benefits.Chief of Defence Staff General N S Raja Subramani put monthly remuneration at roughly Rs 43,500 in the first year of the extension and Rs 47,500 in the second. He has described the change as creating a pathway that should lead to nearly all Agniveers being absorbed into the forces.

Timing of the decision

The announcement came just over three weeks before about 18,300 Agniveers were due to leave after completing their four-year terms. More than three lakh Agnipath recruits are currently serving. Recruits join between the ages of 17.5 and 21 for a four-year term, and the scheme, which began in June 2022, was designed to lower the age profile of the three services. Originally, only up to 25 per cent of each batch was to be retained in regular service.

The government has said a four-year assessment of the scheme pointed to positive outcomes in physical fitness, motivation, discipline, skills and technological adaptability. Opposition parties, including the Congress, had earlier questioned what would happen to the 75 per cent who would leave after four years.

Message to troops

Beyond the Agniveer announcement, the Defence Minister urged personnel to build strong ties with local residents, noting that their conduct shapes public perception of the forces. "The more you connect with local people, the weaker the enemy's plots will become," he said.

He asked soldiers to learn to operate drones and to understand cybersecurity, and praised Indian start-ups working on drone and anti-drone systems. Technology alone, he said, cannot decide military effectiveness, and discipline, courage and morale remain fundamental. He also congratulated Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on taking charge as Chief of the Air Staff.

Bagdogra lies close to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow strip of northern West Bengal that links the Indian mainland with the Northeast.