Exclusive | On Army table: Proposal to raise Agniveer retention rate from 25% to 75%

The second phase of the biannual Army Commanders Conference will be held in Jaisalmer on October 23 and 24 and will also discuss measures for jointness among services.

Written by Amrita Nayak Dutta

New Delhi | October 23, 2025 07:00 AM IST

3 min read

On Army commanders’ table: Proposal to raise Agniveer retention rate from 25% to 75%

The first batch of Agniveers will complete their four-year tenure next year and, therefore, their retention is on the agenda.

A proposal to raise the Agniveer retention rate from the current 25 per cent to up to 75 per cent, along with measures to enhance jointness among the three services and review the implementation of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, are likely to be among the key issues on the agenda at the Army Commanders Conference in Jaisalmer starting Thursday, The Indian Express has learnt.

The first batch of Agniveers will complete their four-year tenure next year and, therefore, their retention is on the agenda.

This will be the first Army Commanders Conference since Operation Sindoor in May. The conference serves as a platform for the Army’s senior leadership to review the overall security situation and deliberate on key operational priorities to address emerging challenges.

Similarly, with the increasing strength of veterans, options to gainfully use their experience and expertise are being considered. At present, veterans are engaged in limited roles such as those under the Army Welfare Education Society and the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics, but broader participation across formations is being considered. Personnel and welfare-related issues of serving troops are also expected to feature in the discussions.

Possible steps to further strengthen jointness among the three services are expected to be a key point of the deliberations.

As reported by The Indian Express last month, measures under discussion to improve integration include the standardisation of equipment, common supply chains for logistics and procurement, combined training at all levels, more cross-postings and exposure across services, and greater social interaction among personnel – all steps aimed at paving the way for the creation of theatre commands.

Some of these initiatives were also discussed at the Combined Commanders Conference in Kolkata last month, which was attended by the Prime Minister. At that meeting, the government announced the formation of three joint military stations and the merger of the education branches of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a single Tri-Services Education Corps – key steps towards deeper integration.

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Explained

First since Op Sindoor

This will be the first conference of Army Commanders since Operation Sindoor in May. It serves as a platform for the Army’s senior leadership to review the overall security situation and deliberate on key operational priorities to address emerging challenges. The Combined Commanders’ Conference took place in Kolkata last month.

In Jaisalmer, Army Commanders will also review operational preparedness, including the repair and replacement of damaged equipment, emergency procurement of critical stores, and ammunition stocking for various weapon systems.

According to sources, the implementation of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, which involves coordination with other services and multiple stakeholders, will also be discussed.

The Jaisalmer meeting marks the second phase of the second Army Commanders Conference this year; the first phase was held in Delhi earlier this month.

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