When the Agnipath scheme was announced, the national conversation was dominated by debates on pensions, tenure, and the future of a younger, leaner military. While these are valid concerns, they have obscured a strategic reality already unfolding: the creation of a vast, disciplined, and technologically adept civilian reserve, a latent army so to say, which is poised to become the bedrock of India’s whole-of-society defence doctrine.

The proof of concept has been demonstrated with the resounding success of Operation Sindoor. When faced with Pakistan’s drone and missile blitz against key Indian assets, the military’s masterstroke was not just its frontline response, but its activation of a new, potent layer of defence. Over 3,000 Agniveers, many in their initial years of service, were at the forefront, seamlessly operating the very air defence systems that blunted the enemy assault and protected our critical infrastructure.

Operation Sindoor was a validation of the Agnipath model in real-world combat. It proved that young recruits, given intensive, modern training, can be entrusted with sophisticated platforms under immense pressure. But the operation’s true strategic lesson lies in projecting this success forward. What happens when thousands of such Agniveers complete their four-year tenures and return to civilian life? We are left with a battle-hardened........

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