No Nepali Gorkhas recruited to Indian Army for a year: How forces are being affected

The Indian Army is yet again not recruiting any Nepali Gorkhas. This is the third time since July 2022 that none of Nepal’s famed warriors will be inducted into the armed forces, according to several media reports. But what happened? How is the Indian Army being affected? And what could be the result of this? Let’s take a closer look: What happened? India and Nepal have been at odds over the recruitment of Gorkhas since the Centre introduced its Agnipath scheme. The scheme recruits jawans into the army, the navy and the air force for a four-year-period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits. The Indian Army takes in Nepalese soldiers under the tripartite treaty signed between Nepal, India and Britain at time of Independence.

Nepal halted the recruitment process in July 2022 in search of more clarity about what this would mean for its citizens.

“The concern is that these young lads will return in a few years … without the wherewithal of what to do next in their lives,” Nishchal Nath Pandey, director at the Center for South Asian Studies in Kathmandu, told Foreign Policy. “They can go into alcoholism, drugs and even join some sort of insurgency as they will be trained in combat.” India on 24 August then put the recruitment on hold at the request of the Nepal government ahead of the November 2022 polls. Now, recruitment has been deferred yet again as the issue remains unresolved. How is Indian Army being affected? India currently has 44 Gorkha battalions with soldiers from both Nepal and India in seven Gorkha regiments – 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th and the 11th. According to Times Now, there are around 40,000 to 45,000 Gorkha soldiers in the Indian Army across seven regiments. Nepalis comprise around 60 per cent of India’s 44 Gorkha battalions – each made up of around 1,000 soldiers – according to The Times of India. According to Foreign Policy, around 1,400 Gorkha soldiers join the Indian Army every year. [caption id=“attachment_12551602” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Around 1,400 Gorkhas join the Indian Army every year. Reuters[/caption] Around 12,000 Gorkha soldiers have retired since 2021, according to The Print.

Each battalion is facing a shortfall of around 250 Gorkha soldiers, as per Times Now.

The Indian Army has recently begun recruiting youths from Garhwal and Kumaon for the Gorkha regiments, as per Times Now. Indian Gorkhas are recruited from Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Assam and Meghalaya through the Army Recruitment Office (ARO) in these states. Experts say the delay in recruiting soldiers is bound to make things worse. As Colonel Razzaque Adil (Retd), who previously commanded the 3rd Gorkha Rifles Battalion, told The Print, “Currently, there is a backlog, which has kept it stable and going. This may, however, not be true in the future.” He added, “As I see it, the government in Nepal is concerned about most soldiers leaving the Indian Army and entering unemployment with only 25 percent being absorbed. While this is a concern even in India, I feel it is at least better than nothing.” What could be the result of this? China seems to be interested in inducting the Gorkhas into its People’s Liberation Army (PLA). According to The Wire, Beijing has for decades displayed some interest in doing so – only to be turned down by Nepal. But this offers China a way in. “The ongoing imbroglio (between China and India) and the presence of a favourable dispensation (to Beijing) in Nepal paves the way for Gorkha soldiers with a history of 200 years of gallantry, into the PLA,” the EurAsian Times reported_._

Major General AK Siwach has warned that China is ready to pounce.

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“Gorkhas are some of the best fighters in the world and if India does not take them, someone else will. This is why Gorkhas are employed in the British Army and the Singapore police force. I have no doubt that China, which has a conscription army, is waiting for such a thing to happen. The Indian army was able to block China off in eastern Ladakh because it is well trained and motivated as compared to China’s conscripts,” Siwach, the former Territorial Army chief, said. Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan (retired), a veteran of the Gorkha Regiment, told The Week, “Nature abhors vacuum. If India yields space in Nepal, obviously someone like China will try to step in.” But some claim such fears are unfounded. The Kathmandu Post quoted ex-Nepali Ambassador to Denmark Vijay Kant Karna as saying, “In the current political scenario, Nepal cannot sign a new Gorkha recruitment treaty with any country, including China.” “Such an agreement would require ratification by a two-thirds majority of parliament which is impossible. Regarding the Agnipath scheme for Gorkha recruitment in the Indian army, Nepal and India should settle it through negotiations. It is in the interest of both the countries to do so,” Karna added. Regardless, ex-Indian Army commander Harcharanjit Singh Panag told Foreign Policy that New Delhi has erred in its decision. [caption id=“attachment_12551542” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Armed personnel from Gorkha Rifles take part in a Khukri (knife) dance. AFP[/caption] “There should have been no debate on this issue. India should have made an exception,” he said. “If India really thinks like a great power, it should maintain its special relationship with Nepal.” A Firstpost piece last month pointed out that Nepali Gorkhas, lured by citizenship, were joining the Russian Army. It noted that others have joined the French legion. “All this because of Agniveer’s unattractive terms of engagement which is damaging the Indian Gorkha Brigade’s longevity. Doval who is hands on in India’s Nepal policy can retrieve the situation,” the piece contended.

Chauhan also argued for special arrangements to be made for Nepal’s Gorkhas.

Chauhan told The Week, “There can be a special arrangement for about 1,000 Gorkha youth who join the Indian Army every year. In the British army, the soldiers retire after 4, 7, 8, 11, 14 and 20 years of service. But they have special arrangements for the Gorkha soldiers who retire only after 20 years.” “Every year, the British army takes in 100 Gorkha soldiers. But look at the goodwill and association it generates for Britain in Nepal. And they get their pensions once they turn 65. After retirement, they are allowed to work in the UK. So why India cannot give employment for a thousand soldiers in return for huge strategic gains?” “What does it entail? Some jobs? So be it,” he added. “What are 1,000 soldiers every year for a country with a 1.3 million strong army, especially in the backdrop of huge strategic advantages and enormous goodwill?” But some remain unmoved. As former army chief General Malik told Financial Express, “India is a large country. Our country went ahead with the scheme as announced and the people of India have accepted this and they are going ahead with it. So, at this juncture, this becomes just an excuse for them [Nepali government]. We are not going to change these rules only for the Nepalese Gorkhas.” With inputs from agencies