INS Netaji Subhas Completes Certified Yoga Course for First Batch of Agniveers

The programme was designed to promote physical fitness, mental well-being, discipline and resilience. Participants received certificates after successfully completing the course, the Navy said.

The development comes amid a significant change in the Agnipath recruitment framework, with the Union Cabinet approving an additional two-year “Second Tour of Duty” for Agniveers.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the decision, saying it would allow willing Agniveers to continue serving for an additional two years. He added that those meeting the prescribed selection criteria could be considered for enrolment as regular personnel after completing four or six years of service.

Singh described the move as part of wider structural reforms intended to build a younger, fitter, technologically equipped and future-ready military. He said the changes were aimed at preparing India's armed forces for the evolving nature of warfare.

Agniveers prepare for transition out of service

More than 18,300 Agniveers were scheduled to complete their four-year terms and leave the armed forces over the following three months.

Under the original Agnipath framework, recruits serve for four years, after which up to 25 per cent may be selected for retention in regular service for a further 15 years.

Personnel approaching the end of their tenure have been undergoing medical evaluations and yoga training before their release.

The 18,300 personnel expected to leave this year represent roughly three-fourths of the 24,400 recruits inducted into the Army, Navy and Air Force during the scheme’s first recruitment cycle.

Official figures put the initial intake at approximately 19,000 in the Army, 2,850 in the Indian Air Force and 2,550 in the Navy. The three services have reportedly expressed satisfaction with Agniveers’ performance across different roles and supported their retention.

Officials had previously indicated that the scheme could be modified to retain a larger number of personnel possessing specialised skills.

The Agnipath model was introduced in 2022, replacing the military’s decades-old recruitment system with a framework intended to maintain a younger and fitter fighting force.