Nepal: Break Agniveer hiring deadlock, Gorkha veterans press Balen government
Gorkha veterans and families in Nepal are pressuring the government to allow recruitment into the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme. The deadlock persists as the Nepalese government remains hesitant about the four-year service model compared to traditional long-term arrangements.
Why it matters
The issue highlights the economic importance of military service for Nepalese youth and the geopolitical complexities of India-Nepal defense relations.
Calls for Nepal to allow its citizens to join the Indian Army under its Agnipath scheme have grown louder ahead of Army chief General Dhiraj Seth's scheduled participation in an ex-servicemen rally for Gorkha veterans in Pokhara Wednesday, bringing the stalled recruitment issue back into focus during his three-day visit.Days before Gen Seth's arrival, hundreds of former Indian Army personnel, their families, and Gorkha aspirants marched in Pokhara, urging Nepal PM Balen Shah to allow recruitment under Agnipath. They submitted a memorandum to Shah and home minister Sudan Gurung.The deadlock has remained an unresolved backdrop to Gen Seth's visit, though official accounts of his talks with Nepal Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel have made no mention of the issue. Gen Seth was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by President Ramchandra Paudel Monday.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in