New Delhi/IBNS: Backing his government's Agnipath amid controversy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the scheme launched by his government aims to keep the Army fit for the war.

Modi made the remark while attending the Kargil Vijay Diwas at Kargil War Memorial in Dras, Ladakh.

The Prime Minister said, "The country has addressed this important dream through the Agnipath scheme. The aim of Agnipath is to rejuvenate the armies and keep them continually fit for war."

"Unfortunately, such a sensitive issue related to national security has been made a subject of politics by some people. Some people are playing politics of lies on this reform of the army for their personal interests. These are the same people who weakened our armed forces by committing scams worth thousands of crores of rupees in the armed forces.

"These are the same people who wanted the Air Force to never get modern fighter jets. These are the same people who had made preparations to lock the Tejas fighter plane in a box," he added.

Launched in 2022, Agnipath scheme provides for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. Those recruited under the scheme are called Agniveers.

Congress president Mallikarjun had earlier written a letter to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, saying that the government was doing injustice to lakhs of youth by bringing the Agnipath Scheme and ending the regular recruitment process.

Kharge, while terming the scheme "discriminatory among the jawans," said, "The scheme is creating parallel cadres of soldiers who are expected to work on similar tasks but with different emoluments, benefits, and prospects."

Not just the Congress, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faced heat over the scheme from its key allies, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) that have asked for a reconsideration and discussion on it.

Speaking in favour of reforms in the defence sector, the Prime Minister said, "The country has felt the need for major reforms in the defense sector for decades. The army has been demanding this for years, but unfortunately, it was not given enough importance earlier.

"In the last 10 years, we have made defense reforms a top priority in the defense sector. Due to these reforms, our armies are now more capable and becoming self-reliant!"

About Kargil Diwas

On this day, 26 July 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts which had been lost to Pakistani intruders.