Former Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh K Tripathi has welcomed the reported decision to extend the service tenure of 75 per cent of outgoing Agniveers by two years, describing the move as a "Diwali gift" for the young personnel and their families.

Speaking on the sidelines of the sixth edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) in New Delhi, he said the extension would also benefit the armed forces by allowing them to retain trained manpower for a longer period.

Tripathi noted that although he had not personally reviewed the decision while attending the conference, he had been informed that 75 per cent of Agniveers from different services who were due to retire at the end of the month would receive a two-year extension.

Emphasising the advantages of the move, he remarked, "So this is a very good thing. I'd call it a Diwali gift for those 75 per cent of Agniveers. For them, their families, their friends, and the army. It's also good for the army to have this trained manpower for two more years. You couldn't ask for anything better. It's a great win-win situation for everyone."

The former Navy chief also reflected on the significance of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue, describing it as the Indian Navy's flagship strategic forum. He explained that the National Maritime Foundation serves as the event's knowledge partner and is responsible for designing, planning and executing the dialogue in collaboration with the Navy.

According to Tripathi, this year's discussions were centred on the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 to strengthen regional cooperation across several maritime sectors. He explained that the initiative is built around seven pillars and that each edition of the dialogue focuses on one specific area for deeper examination by Indian and international experts.

For the first time, the forum concentrated on science, technology and academic cooperation within the Indo-Pacific region. Tripathi said the event featured extensive and open discussions involving prominent speakers and specialists from India and abroad. He added that a detailed report containing the conclusions and recommendations emerging from the dialogue would be submitted to the government to support future policy considerations and regional engagement efforts.

Commenting on the Indian Navy's recent rescue operation involving 20 Iranian nationals at sea, which drew appreciation from Tehran, Tripathi outlined the four traditional roles performed by a modern navy. He explained that the first is the military role associated with wartime operations, while the second is the constabulary role aimed at combating transnational maritime crime.

The third, he said, is the Navy's benign role, which includes search-and-rescue missions as well as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. He highlighted that such missions demonstrate the Navy's commitment to safeguarding lives and providing assistance during emergencies across the maritime domain.

The fourth role, according to Tripathi, is diplomatic. Stressing the unique position of naval forces in international engagement, he stated, "The fourth role is diplomatic, because we believe that every sailor and every ship is a mobile diplomat for India." He further noted that naval vessels frequently act as representatives of their nations abroad and possess a unique ability to visit ports around the world with official permission, strengthening international relationships and cooperation.

Tripathi's remarks are consistent with his longstanding support for the Agniveer scheme. During the passing-out parade of the fourth batch of Agniveers at INS Chilka in Odisha on August 10, 2024, he had expressed confidence in the initiative's progress and effectiveness.

Recalling his involvement during the scheme's implementation, he said, "I was the Chief of Personnel in 2022 when the Agnipath scheme was introduced. Now, two years later, we have just seen the fourth batch pass out on Friday from our premier training establishment, INS Chilka. The scheme is going well. We have trained more than 2,500 Agniveers in the first three batches."

He further highlighted that the fourth batch comprised approximately 1,429 Agniveers, including around 300 women, reflecting the growing participation of women in the armed forces. Based on his interactions with Agniveers during training and operational deployments, Tripathi observed that they were highly motivated, enthusiastic and fully integrated into the Indian Navy.

The passing-out parade of the fourth batch was held at INS Chilka, the Navy's premier training establishment in Odisha, marking another milestone in the implementation of the Agnipath recruitment model as the services continue to integrate young personnel into their ranks while balancing long-term manpower requirements.

ANI