In a landmark move, BrahMos Aerospace, the India-Russia joint venture, has become the first company in India’s defence sector to formally reserve employment opportunities for Agniveers—young military personnel enlisted under the Government of India’s Agnipath Scheme. The initiative will extend to both direct employment within BrahMos and its extensive network of over 200 industrial partners, marking a significant shift in how India’s defence industry responds to the reintegration of former military personnel into the civilian workforce.
Dr SK Joshi, Deputy CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, emphasised the strategic importance of this initiative for the company: “BrahMos Aerospace, known for producing the world’s best supersonic cruise missile, prioritizes the quality and reliability of components, subsystems, and integration, all of which require unwavering dedication and discipline. Agniveers, after four years of service in the armed forces, will emerge with a deep sense of discipline and nationalism, alongside expertise in their respective fields. This skill set is exactly what we need to mould them according to the requirements of BAPL.”
The company’s policy, as outlined in its Office Order BM/HR2/1.0 dated September 26, 2024, addresses the need for additional manpower due to a surge in work orders from both the Indian Armed Forces and international markets. BrahMos Aerospace recognises that Agniveers, with their comprehensive training, qualification, and discipline, are ideally suited to meet the organisation’s growing demands for a skilled and motivated workforce. Dr. Joshi reiterated that the Agnipath scheme serves as a valuable filter, ensuring that individuals possess the requisite skills to join the BrahMos workforce: “Our recent human resource policy reflects this, and Agnipath pass-outs will be the perfect complement to our needs at both the technical and administrative levels.”
BrahMos has announced the following employment reservations:
– 15% of technical and general administration vacancies across BrahMos work centers will be reserved for Agniveers.
– 50% of vacancies for security and administrative functions at work centers, where such tasks are outsourced, will also be reserved for Agniveers.
– Additionally, 15% of contractual vacancies through third-party contract staffing will be reserved for Agniveers, depending on their experience and qualifications.
– BrahMos Aerospace has further encouraged its industry partners to recruit at least 15% Agniveers for tasks related to BrahMos Aerospace projects (Agniveers).
According to Dr Joshi, the inclusion of Agniveers is particularly advantageous for BrahMos’ security and administrative roles. “At BrahMos, we have long sought a way to recruit dedicated, hardworking individuals with a strong sense of national pride and interest for technician and general administration roles. We also felt a need for professional security personnel. While these positions have been partially filled by ex-servicemen, there were still gaps, and we had to make do. The Agnipath scheme now offers a solution by allowing us to reserve contracts with companies that meet the 50% Agniveer recruitment criteria.”
This policy represents the most concrete response to date aimed at addressing concerns surrounding the future employment prospects of Agniveers, who are enrolled in the armed forces for a four-year tenure under the 2022 Agnipath Scheme. While designed to equip participants with military and technical skills, the scheme faced criticism for the lack of clear post-service career pathways for those exiting the program.
Joshi further expressed his confidence that BrahMos’ pioneering approach would have a ripple effect on the industry: “I am confident this aspect of the government’s Agnipath scheme will also prove beneficial for other corporate houses and the broader defence industry.”
As BrahMos Aerospace scales up its operations to meet rising demand from both the Indian Armed Forces and international customers, the infusion of skilled, military-trained personnel into its workforce is expected to act as a force multiplier. The timing of BrahMos’ announcement is significant, given India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025, with the defence sector playing a pivotal role in driving industrial growth. With an expanding defence industrial base, India is moving towards greater self-reliance in manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and the integration of Agniveers offers a practical solution to meet both workforce needs and broader national security goals.
According to Joshi, “Today, more than 250 Indian defence industries are part of Team BrahMos. With our new policy, we are modifying our supply orders to promote the government’s Agnipath scheme while fulfilling our production needs. We anticipate an overwhelming response from our Indian defence industry partners on passing out of the first batch of Agniveer graduates. In those four years with our esteemed armed forces, they will be graduated with skill sets, discipline and national pride. I am certain that other Indian defence industries and corporate houses will follow suit. We see this initiative as an excellent filtration mechanism to ensure we hire the right talent.”
