Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Diwali with Air Warriors and Agniveers in Siliguri, West Bengal. Sweets were shared between them, festive greetings exchanged and India’s armed forces personnel honoured for their dedication.
It was a special festive atmosphere for the military community as Defence minister spent time with those who continue to serve country away from their families. During his interaction with Air Warriors and Agniveers Rajnath Singh also announced an important decision on service tenure and future opportunities of Agniveers.
Agniveers will be given two year extension on their willingness basis while eligible candidates will also have an opportunity for regular enrolment in Army. This is significant announcement for young people serving under Agnipath recruitment scheme as it provides another option for those interested to continue their military career.
The Defence Minister’s meeting with Agniveers comes at a crucial time for India’s military recruitment system as the Union Cabinet recently approved a major change in Agnipath scheme.
On November 4, 2026 the Cabinet decided to give an additional two-year engagement period to Agniveers (those who are not selected for regular service after four years of engagement). As per revised arrangement 25% of Agniveers would be considered for regular enrolment on merit basis after completion of their initial service period (as earlier envisaged) and remaining 75% will be given an extension of two years (willingness factor) after which they will also have opportunity to join Defence Forces as soldiers if they are willing and meet the selection criteria.
#MidDayPrime | Defence Minister @rajnathsingh celebrates Diwali with Air Warriors and Agniveers in Siliguri, sharing sweets and extending festive greetings. Addressing the personnel, he announces a decision to offer Agniveers an additional two-year tenure based on their willingness, with eligible candidates also getting an opportunity for regular enrolment in the Army. #Diwali2026 #Siliguri #IndianArmedForces #Agniveer #AgniveerScheme #IndianArmy
— DD News (@DDNewslive) November 7, 2026
The government has termed this additional period as ‘Second Tour of Duty’ and that young people who wish to continue serving the country will have a further career opportunity through it.
The revised arrangement is expected to give Agniveers higher remuneration, Seva Nidhi package enhanced and seniority related benefits during the second engagement period. This decision comes after assessment of performance of Agnipath scheme in its first four years.
Feedback from armed forces said Agniveers contributed positively on physical fitness, motivation, discipline, technological adaptability and operational preparedness (Ministry of Defence). Government feels that with revised arrangement trained personnel will be retained, organisation efficiency improved and younger fitter technologically equipped military created to face new security challenges.
This is significant for Agniveers who were supposed to leave military service after four years of contractual period if they were not among the 25% selected for regular enrolment. The new arrangement gives them another two years in which to get military experience and show their capabilities before next selection process. Second, the additional two-year engagement does not mean automatic employment thereafter.
Regular enrolment will be on individual willingness and prescribed eligibility and performance requirements only. Defence Minister’s Diwali interaction with military personnel in Siliguri also underlines the need to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifices made by armed forces members who spend important festivals away from their families guarding the country’s borders. The festive gathering should strengthen the bond between country’s leadership and military personnel serving under difficult conditions.
For Agniveers the combination of festive occasion and government’s revised service framework makes career opportunities and future prospects more visible. As India modernises its armed forces the revised Agnipath arrangement is an important development in balancing military requirement with aspirations of young recruits.
What will happen in the coming months is how this extra engagement period and regular enrolment process are implemented across Army, Navy and Air Force. Thousands of young Indians who want to build a long-term career in Defence Forces could get a new opportunity with this revised framework to continue serving and contribute to national security.
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