Agnipath: Young Indians Protest Army Reforms

Thousands of angry young Indians are protesting against a new reform scheme to hire soldiers on a short-term basis for the country’s armed forces.

The “Agnipath” scheme, announced earlier this week, is aimed at applicants aged between 17.5 years and 21 years. Successful candidates will join the defence forces for four years, after which only 25% of them will be retained.

While experts agree that reforms are long overdue for India’s defence services, especially its army, the announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some former top military officers have raised concerns that the new scheme would be dangerous for national security.

Others argue that the move would worsen India’s jobs crisis, with uncertainty over what happens to the soldiers after they have finished their terms.

Bbc/Adebukola Aluko