- Nepali youths and ex-Gorkha soldiers protested in Pokhara for Agnipath enlistment rights
- Recruitment of Nepali soldiers by Indian Army paused since 2019, halted after Agnipath scheme
- Protesters demand reopening of recruitment under Agnipath to secure youth employment
Nepali youths, joined by former Gorkha soldiers and their family members, took to the streets in Nepal's Pokhara city this week, demanding Nepalese citizens be allowed to enlist as Agniveers under the Indian Army's Agnipath scheme. The enlistment of Gorkha soldiers into the Indian Army has been one of the strongest shared links between India and Nepal.
But recruitments have been paused since 2019, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepal subsequently suspended the recruitment of Nepali youths after India introduced the Agnipath scheme in 2022, under which only up to 25 per cent of recruits are retained for permanent service after four years.
The remaining 75 per cent are discharged with a one-time lump-sum payment and do not receive pensions or other long-term career benefits.
The Nepali government had halted the recruitment, arguing that the scheme was inconsistent with the provisions of the 1947 Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal, and Britain.
Why Nepali Youth Is Protesting
The protests in Pokhara come ahead of Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth's scheduled visit to Nepal on Sunday.
With employment opportunities in Nepal limited, many young people in the Himalayan nation are interested in joining the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme and are urging the Balendra (Balen) Shah government in Kathmandu to resume the recruitment process.
The protest march in Pokhara, a major tourism city in western Nepal, was organised by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Gorkha Brigade Nepal and was attended by former soldiers, their family members and youths who had received training to join foreign armies.
The protesters carried placards demanding the resumption of recruitment of Nepali youths under the revamped recruitment Agnipath scheme introduced by the Indian government.
The Demands
They said Nepali youths should be allowed to join the Indian Army as Agniveers rather than being compelled to seek employment in Gulf countries, according to a report by news agency IANS.
Among their key demands, which they also shared on social media, protesters asked for immediate reopening of the Agnipath recruitment process, which they said was essential to protect employment opportunities for Nepali youths and preserve the identity and tradition associated with Gurkha soldiers.
The protesters also demanded that the registration process for organisations representing former soldiers and bearing the term "ex-servicemen" not be halted. Such organisations, they said, are necessary to safeguard the dignity, rights and interests of former soldiers.
The rally, which began at Pokhara Stadium, proceeded to the District Administration Office, where the organisers submitted a memorandum to the Chief District Officer of Kaski in the presence of a large gathering.
