Agniveers are barely trained: Ex-Navy Chief

New Delhi, NT Bureau: In forceful and outspoken criticism of the Agnipath scheme as it exists today, one of India’s most distinguished former navy chiefs and a former chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, has said that it will “degrade combat effectiveness” and that Agniveers are “barely trained” and only fit “for sentry duties”.

Speaking specifically about the navy, Admiral Arun Prakash said, “it must be recognised that at least five to six years are required before a new entrant can acquire hands-on experience to be entrusted with the operation or maintenance of lethal weapon systems and complex machinery and electronics.”

This means that the six months training an Agniveer gets is woefully inadequate and, anyway, after four years he ceases to be in service.

Therefore, as far as the navy is concerned, an Agniveer is probably never adequately trained, reports The Wire. He also believes that the time when the scheme was introduced was not “the best time to cast the armed forces – already short of manpower – into turmoil with a radical and untried new recruitment system”.

Speaking specifically about Agniveer Ajay Kumar and the controversy over whether his family has received exgratia payment from the army following his death, Admiral Prakash said that the Rs 98 lakh insurance money they have got is not the same as ex-gratia.

He said he could not understand why even after six months, the ex-gratia has not been paid. In the case of a regular jawan, it’s paid within a few weeks. Admiral Prakash said this delay is most “unfortunate”.