India, Nov. 4 -- A younger military was the centrepiece of the government's Agnipath pitch when it launched the scheme four years ago.

"It will enhance the youthful profile of the armed forces and provide them a fresh lease of 'josh' (enthusiasm) and 'jazba' (passion). It is envisaged that average age profile of Indian armed forces would come down by 4-5 years by implementation of this scheme," the defence ministry said at the time.

The shift from releasing 75% of Agniveers after four years to retaining all of them for full-term service marks a sharp departure from the original plan. The government has effectively reversed the Agnipath scheme's most defining feature: short-term service intended to maintain a youthful military profile. ...