Nepali youths rally in Pokhara for Indian Army recruitment

Nepali youths and families of former Indian Army personnel held a rally in Pokhara on Wednesday to demand that the Nepali government allow citizens to enlist in the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme.

Recruitment of Nepali Gorkhas has been suspended since 2019, initially due to the pandemic and later following India’s 2022 introduction of the Agnipath scheme. Under this system, only 25 per cent of recruits are retained for permanent service after four years, while the remaining 75 per cent receive a one-time lump-sum payment without pensions or long-term benefits.

The Nepali government previously halted recruitment, arguing the scheme contradicts the 1947 Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal, and Britain. Protesters, organized by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Gorkha Brigade Nepal, urged the government to reconsider its stance to provide employment opportunities and preserve the Gorkha military tradition, noting that many youths would otherwise be forced to seek work in Gulf countries.