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Defence
India’s Agniveer Scheme Under Review: Implications for US Defence Ties
✍️ Security Wise – Bharat Karnad
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 12:48 PM
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Security analyst Bharat Karnad questions whether the Agniveer short‑service programme will become permanent and what that means for India‑US defence cooperation.
Security commentator Bharat Karnad has authored a piece titled “Permanent Agniveers? What now with the US?” in the Security Wise column, flagging a debate over the future status of the Agniveer short‑service recruitment scheme. The article notes that the programme, launched to augment the Indian armed forces with a limited‑term cadre, is now being examined for possible conversion into a permanent component of the military workforce.
Karnad outlines the operational and institutional implications of such a shift, suggesting that a permanent Agniveer cadre could alter force composition, training cycles, and career pathways for enlisted personnel. He points out that the move would require adjustments in recruitment policy, pay structures, and long‑term personnel planning.
The analyst also links the domestic policy discussion to India’s broader strategic partnership with the United States. He argues that a permanent Agniveer force could influence joint exercises, interoperability standards, and defence procurement arrangements, thereby adding a new dimension to Indo‑US security collaboration.
Karnad outlines the operational and institutional implications of such a shift, suggesting that a permanent Agniveer cadre could alter force composition, training cycles, and career pathways for enlisted personnel. He points out that the move would require adjustments in recruitment policy, pay structures, and long‑term personnel planning.
The analyst also links the domestic policy discussion to India’s broader strategic partnership with the United States. He argues that a permanent Agniveer force could influence joint exercises, interoperability standards, and defence procurement arrangements, thereby adding a new dimension to Indo‑US security collaboration.