NEW DELHI: In its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress made a number of promises on defence and national security issues including the Agnipath scheme, the National Security Council (NSC) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
The Congress has pledged to scrap the Agnipath scheme, which was launched by the BJP government in June 2022.
In its manifesto, the Congress said: “… will scrap the Agnipath scheme and return to the normal recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and Air Force that will guarantee economic and social security for our soldiers.”
The scheme which was launched to make the armed forces profile lean, agile and tech-oriented, had drawn flak from some aspirants who were preparing for it for years. In some parts of the country, youths had even destroyed public property including burning of trains.
In all the three forces, two batches of Agniveers have joined the services and are said to be performing well on the ground.
Under the Agnipath Scheme, the Agniveers serve for a tenure of four years. As per the scheme, only 25 per cent of them will be retained as permanent soldiers.
Through its manifesto, the Congress said that if elected to form the government, it will return to the old recruitment processes followed by the Army, Navy and Air Force that it says will guarantee economic and social security for our soldiers.
The Congress also promised to bring the post of National Security Adviser (NSA) under the supervision of Parliament, if voted to power.
The other promises of the poll manifesto include bringing the National Security Council (NSC) and the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) under the oversight of a select committee of Parliament. At present, the PM-led Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) oversees the appointment of the NSA.
The party also said the absence of a National Security Strategy led to ‘ad hoc and personalised policymaking’ under the current government. “After detailed deliberations, Congress will issue a comprehensive National Security Strategy,” it says.
Further, the Congress has promised a reform in the appointments of CDS. It says that the post being ‘sensitive and crucial’ for military reform, preparedness and joint operations, the party will institutionalise the process of appointing the CDS to ensure ‘transparency and military consensus’.
The Congress also promised to open combat and non-combat roles for women in the three forces. It said it will ‘systematically expand the opportunities’ for women to serve in combatant and non-combatant roles in the armed forces, if voted to power.
The party said it will rectify the anomalies that have arisen in the implementation of OROP by the BJP/NDA government. “We will restore the disability pension and make it tax-free,” it said.
The manifesto also talks about increasing defence spending, reversing the decline in defence expenditure as a proportion of total expenditure and ensuring allocation of sufficient funds to meet the requirements of the forces.
Talking of the changes in the character of warfare, it says it will come up with ‘suitable policies’ as the concept of national security in the 21st century goes beyond territorial defence to include hybrid warfare, data security, cyber security, financial security, communication security and security of trade routes.
To handle the two front challenge (China and Pakistan), the Congress said it will bring in a new ‘Operational Directive’ if voted to power.
It will establish a National Economic Security Board under the NSC which will be monitoring possible risks to global supply chain disruptions and suggesting counter actions.
The proposed security board, it says, will suggest measures to reduce over-dependence on large import sources, besides recommending a future course of action toward inward and outward investments.
