Agnipath Scheme

Agnipath Scheme (also spelled Agneepath Scheme) (Hindi: Agnīpath Yojanā, transl. Agnipath [Fireway] Scheme) is a tour of duty style scheme approved by the Government of India on 14 June 2022 and implemented in the country a few months later in September 2022, for recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces. All recruits will be hired only for a four year period. Personnel recruited under this system are to be called Agniveers (transl. Fire-Warriors), which will be a new military rank.

Although the scheme bypasses the traditional service benefits (such as pensions, rations, etc) allocated to personnel recruited in the armed forces, the government provides up to 50 Lac rupees in insurance coverage, and they are entitled to receive a lump sum cash payment, a skill certificate and support for finding future employment upon discharge from service. Spokespersons from Congress, Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Communist Party of India, from the opposition camp, have issued statements criticising and expressing concerns about the consequences of the new scheme. They have asked the scheme to be put on hold and that the scheme be discussed in the Parliament.

Recently, during Operation Sindoor, 3000 Agniveers played a crucial role in defending the Indian western border from drone attacks orchestrated by Pakistan in the recent 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.