Agniveers on the Frontline: 3,000 Young Recruits Now Operate India's Air Defence Weapons Against Pakistani Drones and Missiles

In a landmark shift in India's military manpower strategy, the Indian Army has deployed over 3,000 Agniveers—young soldiers recruited under the Agnipath scheme—into critical roles within its Army Air Defence (AAD) formations. These Agniveers are now manning some of the most sophisticated air defence systems in the Indian arsenal, serving as the first line of protection against Pakistani drones, missiles, and aircraft intrusions.

The move underscores both the growing threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in modern warfare and the success of the Agnipath scheme in quickly training and integrating new talent into roles that once required years of preparation. These Agniveers are now actively operating radar systems, missile batteries, and command-and-control platforms that form the backbone of India’s low- to medium-altitude air defence shield.

The Changing Face of Threats

The western front with Pakistan has seen an uptick in hostile UAV activity—ranging from small quadcopters for surveillance and arms drops to larger armed drones. According to official sources, over 100 drone incursions were reported in 2024 alone, most of them along Punjab and Rajasthan borders.

In response, the Indian Army’s Air Defence units have significantly expanded their deployment footprint, focusing not only on missile defence but also counter-UAV capabilities—a space where Agniveers are now playing a direct role.

Agniveers and the Weapons They Operate

The Agniveers posted in the AAD are trained in the operation of a suite of indigenous and imported air defence systems, including:

1. Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) System

• Range: Up to 30 km

• Target types: Fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, drones

• Role of Agniveers: Battery-level operators, radar console operators, and fire unit support teams. Some Agniveers have already undergone advanced simulation training for intercept engagements.

2. L70 and ZU-23-2B Anti-Aircraft Guns

• Role: Point defence against low-flying aircraft and drones

• Upgrades: Modern fire-control radars, electro-optical sights, and automated targeting systems

• Agniveers' role: Operating upgraded targeting consoles and conducting live-fire drills, particularly against low-speed drone targets.

3. DRDO’s Anti-Drone Systems (D4S)

• Functionality: Soft-kill and hard-kill solutions for rogue drones

• Components: Jammers, radar, RF/IR sensors, and laser-based kill mechanisms

• Agniveers' role: Monitoring the sensor data, initiating jamming and hard-kill responses under officer supervision

4. Osa-AK-M and Kvadrat SAMs (Legacy Systems)

• Origin: Soviet-era, still deployed in select regions

• Role of Agniveers: Maintenance and secondary operating positions during deployment drills, especially in border areas where modern systems are integrated with older platforms.

5. Swathi Weapon Locating Radar (WLR)

• Role: Tracking incoming artillery shells and UAVs

• Range: Over 50 km for aerial targets

• Agniveers' role: Field operation, situational plotting, data relay to fire-control centres

Training and Deployment

Before deployment, each Agniveer underwent intensive training at the Army Air Defence College in Gopalpur, Odisha. The curriculum was compressed into a high-intensity 16-week program, focusing on radar operation, threat identification, fire-control logic, and real-time target engagement under stress.

The Army has also introduced drone-specific training modules, which include:

• Drone recognition by profile and signal signature

• Electronic warfare (EW) basics for jamming operations

• Field simulations of drone swarms and loitering munition attacks

With India’s growing investment in AI-assisted fire-control systems and networked air defence architecture, Agniveers have also been trained in digital command interfaces—a stark change from traditional analogue systems still in use in some artillery and infantry formations.

Operational Integration

Rather than relegating Agniveers to auxiliary tasks, the Army has embedded them directly within operational crews. This reflects both a confidence in their abilities and a strategic necessity, given the increasing manpower requirements of real-time drone defence operations.

Each air defence battery has integrated two to four Agniveers per platoon, often under the mentorship of senior Havildars or Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs). These Agniveers rotate through shifts involving:

• Live radar tracking

• Drone signal analysis

• Command post communication

• Target acquisition confirmation

Future Outlook

The Army’s experience with this first cohort of Agniveers has been termed "exceptionally promising" by senior commanders. There are now plans to double the Agniveer presence in air defence units by 2026, and to introduce them into mobile air defence units using wheeled and tracked platforms.

In addition, integration with space-based ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) systems and upcoming platforms like the Akash-NG and Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missiles—both in advanced stages of trials—will further elevate the operational capabilities of Agniveer-staffed batteries.

Conclusion

From radar screens to trigger consoles, Agniveers are now at the heart of India’s air defence response to evolving threats from Pakistan. Their successful deployment signals a paradigm shift in the Indian Army’s operational doctrine, combining youthful agility with modern technology in the defence of Indian skies.

As the nature of warfare grows more technical and fast-paced, this new generation of soldiers—trained in just months but already defending borders—might become the blueprint for India’s future military strategy.