Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Nepali youths rally to demand Indian Army Agniveer recruitment
Some young people in Nepal want to join the Indian Army, the army of a neighboring country.
Many of them come from families with a long history of serving there as Gurkha soldiers.
A few years ago, Nepal stopped letting its young people join.
The Indian Army changed the way it hires soldiers, and Nepal's leaders did not agree with the new rules.
Under the new rules, only one out of every four new soldiers can stay for a full career.
The other three have to leave after four years and get no pension.
So a group of people held a rally in the city of Pokhara to ask the government to change its mind.
They carried signs and handed a letter to a local official.
They say joining the army is a good job chance because Nepal does not have many jobs.
They also want to keep the proud tradition of Gurkha soldiers alive.
Nepali youths and former soldiers' families rallied in Pokhara demanding that Nepali youths be allowed to enlist as Agniveers in the Indian Army.
The rally was organized by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Gorkha Brigade Nepal and ended with a memorandum submitted to the Chief District Officer of Kaski.
Gurkha recruitment into the Indian Army has been paused since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Nepal suspended recruitment after the Agnipath scheme was introduced in 2022.
Under the Agnipath scheme, up to 25 per cent of recruits are retained for permanent service, while 75 per cent are discharged with a one-time lump-sum payment and no pension.
Nepal's government halted recruitment, arguing the scheme is inconsistent with the 1947 Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal and Britain.
Protesters said Nepali youths should join the Indian Army rather than be compelled to seek employment in Gulf countries, and sought to protect Gurkha tradition and identity.
- Who
- Nepali youths, former Indian Army soldiers and their family members, organized by the Indian Ex-Servicemen Gorkha Brigade Nepal
- What
- A rally demanding that Nepal allow its youths to enlist as Agniveers under the Indian Army's Agnipath scheme
- When
- Wednesday
- Where
- Pokhara, a major tourism city in western Nepal
- Why
- To protect employment opportunities for Nepali youths and preserve the identity and tradition associated with Gurkha soldiers, after the Nepali government halted recruitment citing the 1947 Tripartite Agreement
Pro-recruitment protesters
Nepal government
Agnipath scheme and the 1947 agreement
Pro-recruitment protesters
Nepali youths should be allowed to join the Indian Army as Agniveers; reopening recruitment is essential to protect employment opportunities and preserve Gurkha identity and tradition.
Nepal government
The Agnipath scheme is inconsistent with the provisions of the 1947 Tripartite Agreement, so the government has not allowed the recruitment process to resume.
Career security for recruits
Pro-recruitment protesters
Joining the Indian Army as Agniveers is better than Nepali youths being compelled to seek employment in Gulf countries.
Nepal government
The scheme discharges 75 per cent of recruits with only a lump-sum payment and no pension or long-term career benefits, which is why Nepal halted participation.
- Rally location
- Pokhara, western Nepal
- Organizer
- Indian Ex-Servicemen Gorkha Brigade Nepal
- Recruitment paused
- Since 2019 (Covid-19 pandemic)
- Nepal suspension
- After Agnipath scheme introduced in 2022
- Permanent retention
- Up to 25% of recruits
- Discharged recruits
- 75% get one-time lump-sum payment, no pension
- Cited agreement
- 1947 Tripartite Agreement (India, Nepal, Britain)
- Memorandum recipient
- Chief District Officer of Kaski