New Delhi: The Agnipath scheme complements the Indian Air Force's long-term vision to become a "lean and lethal" force with the best manpower and the new recruitment model will in no way reduce its operational capability, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said on Sunday.
The Chief of Air Staff said the reform initiative will enable the IAF to meet all its national security mandate and the force envisaged its seamless implementation with a restructured training pattern that is contemporary, technology-based and tailor-made for its operational requirements. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said that 13 teams will take care of enrolment, employment, assessment and training of recruits within the four-year engagement period. He said any savings in pensions and other expenditures through the implementation of the scheme are only incidental and not the reason for initiating the reform.
"The Agnipath scheme furthers the IAF's manpower optimisation drive that has been ongoing for a decade wherein we have reviewed many human resource policies and organisational structures," he said.
Nearly 7,50,000 candidates have registered for around 3,000 positions in the IAF under the new scheme. The scheme complements the IAF's "long-term vision of being a lean and lethal force with the best human resource as we strongly believe that the men and women behind the machine make all the difference when it matters," the Chief of Air Staff said.
The scheme seeks to recruit youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 for only four years. For 2022, the upper age limit has been extended to 23 years. Several parts of India witnessed protests against the scheme with agitators demanding its rollback as the new model does not provide a job guarantee to 75 per cent of recruits.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said the synergy of organisational requirements and the aspirations of the youth shall provide the IAF with an "ideal amalgam" to be an effective force in the future.