According to details provided by the government, the three services – Army, Navy and Air Force are reeling under a shortage of 1,35,784 personnel, with the Army having the maximum vacancies at 1,16,464.
The total shortage includes both officers and soldiers.
In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the average annual recruitment in Army, Navy and Air Force is 60,000, 5,332 and 5,723 respectively.
The minister did not give a direct reply to a specific question on whether the average recruitment figure is more than the proposed annual intake of ‘Agniveers’ and, if so, how the shortage of manpower in the armed forces will be met. To this, Bhatt only said the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Asked whether it is a fact that the Indian Army has not recruited any person in the last two years, he said “no”.
On the total shortage of manpower in all three armed forces, Bhatt said the shortage in the Army as against the authorised strength was 1,16,464 as on January 1, while the shortage in the Navy as against the authorised strength was 13,597 as on May 31, and 5,723 in the Indian Air Force on July 1.
The three services have started the recruitment process under the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
The scheme, announced on June 14, seeks to recruit youths in the age bracket of 17-and-half and 21 for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. For 2022, the upper age limit has been extended to 23 years.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat uploaded Monday’s questions on its website on Tuesday.
