Nepal-India Relations Strained: Recruitment Of Gorkhas In Indian Army Suspended Under Agnipath Scheme
Delhi, 29th July 2023: The recruitment of Gorkhas from Nepal into the Indian Army has been suspended due to the implementation of the Agnipath scheme. While Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar Prasad Sharma, confirmed the pause in the recruitment process, he emphasized that the matter has not been definitively closed. According to Sharma, India has developed a new mechanism under the Agnipath scheme to recruit from Nepal, but Nepal is advocating for a return to the previous recruitment system.
Gorkhas from Nepal has a long history of serving in the Indian Army, but the introduction of the Agnipath scheme in June of the previous year prompted the Nepalese government to halt their recruitment. The main point of contention lies in the fact that the recruiting process under the Agnipath scheme does not align with the terms of the Britain-India-Nepal Tripartite Agreement.
Under the Agnipath Scheme, the Indian government specified that youth recruited for the army, navy, and air force should be aged between 17.5 years and 21 years and will serve for four years, with 25 per cent of them being inducted for regular service. However, Nepal insists on adhering to the old scheme for Gorkha recruitment.
Nishchal Nath Pandey, the director of the Center for South Asian Studies in Kathmandu, expressed concerns about the potential consequences of this new recruitment approach in an interview. He worried that these young recruits might face difficulties in readjusting to civilian life after their service, leading them to possible issues like alcoholism, drug use, or even involvement in insurgency due to their combat training.
In summary, the recruitment of Gorkhas from Nepal into the Indian Army has been temporarily suspended due to the implementation of the Agnipath scheme, which has sparked disagreements between the two nations regarding the recruitment process and its potential implications on the recruits’ future lives.
