The latest batches of Agniveers recruited into the Army, Navy and Air Force will complete their training and join the armed forces between November 13 and December 31, as the Centre prepares to implement a revised Agnipath framework that gives those not selected for regular service another two years in uniform and a fresh opportunity for permanent enrolment.
More than 2,700 Navy Agniveers will complete their 16-week initial training at INS Chilka in Odisha on November 13. Air Force Agniveers are expected to pass out in mid-December, while the Army's first batch under the revised model will complete training on December 31, officials said.
The Navy's passing out parade will be reviewed by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, who will attend as the chief guest. The event will mark the completion of training for the ninth batch of naval Agniveers and more than 600 regular Naviks of the Indian Coast Guard. With over 3,300 trainees completing the programme, it will be the largest batch to pass out from INS Chilka.
Revised framework creates another route to regular service
The Union Cabinet approved the revised Agnipath framework on November 4, with Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani announcing the changes. The decision came weeks before the first batch of Agniveers was due to complete its initial four-year engagement and leave the armed forces.
Under the earlier arrangement, 25% of Agniveers were to be selected on merit for regular service, while the remaining 75% would return to civilian life after completing four years.
The revised framework retains the initial merit-based selection of 25%. The remaining Agniveers will now be offered a second engagement period of two years, subject to their willingness. After completing the extended tenure, they will have another opportunity to join the regular forces, provided they meet the prescribed selection criteria and consent to enrolment.
The additional engagement period will come with higher remuneration, an enhanced Seva Nidhi package and seniority benefits. The changes are intended to provide a pathway for willing and eligible Agniveers to continue serving in the armed forces beyond their initial four-year tenure.
The revised arrangement will apply to existing Agniveers, including those currently serving, and is expected to cover around 300,000 personnel. The framework for recruits inducted after December 31 is expected to undergo further changes.
Around 18,300 Agniveers were due to leave by year-end
The revised policy was announced ahead of the scheduled discharge of around 18,300 Agniveers between mid-November and December 31. They form approximately three-fourths of the 24,400 recruits inducted into the Army, Navy and Air Force during the first round of recruitment.
The revamped arrangement gives those who would otherwise have completed their four-year tenure and left the services an additional two years to continue in uniform before being considered for regular enrolment.
The Army's first batch to pass out under the new model will do so on December 31, while the Navy and Air Force batches are scheduled to complete their training earlier.
Higher salaries and pension commitments to raise expenditure
The expansion of the engagement period is expected to have financial implications for the government. Higher salaries during the additional two years, along with future pension and gratuity payments for those absorbed into regular service, are likely to increase expenditure.
The revised recruitment model will therefore undergo a financial review. Officials, however, have said funding will not be a constraint.
The higher expenditure is expected to be partly offset by savings on training. Under the revised arrangement, the armed forces will not need to recruit and train additional personnel to replace Agniveers who would otherwise have left after four years.
One official said the changes would reduce the requirement for fresh training and help keep costs in check, adding that national security would take precedence over fiscal considerations. The financial implications are also expected to be reviewed periodically.
The government allocated ₹17,396 crore for the Agnipath scheme in the 2026-27 defence budget, a 58% increase over the budget estimate of ₹11,039 crore for 2025-26. The allocation for the scheme across the three services stood at ₹7,471 crore in 2024-25.
The increase comes against the backdrop of a rising defence pension bill. The 2026-27 budget provides ₹1.71 lakh crore for defence pensions, compared with the budget estimate of ₹1.60 lakh crore in 2025-26.