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India to revamp its military recruitment efforts in order to attract younger soldiers

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According to defence officials, India’s military is overhauling its recruitment process for personnel below officer rank in order to deploy fitter, younger troops on its front lines, many of whom will be on shorter contracts of up to four years.

India has one of the world’s largest armed forces, with 1.38 million personnel, and shares a heavily militarised border with Pakistan as well as a high-altitude Himalayan standoff with China.

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Soldiers are recruited separately by the army, navy, and air force and typically serve for up to 17 years for the lowest ranks.

Men and women between the ages of 17 and 15 and 21 will be drafted into the armed forces under the new system, with many serving for a maximum of four years.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India spent $76.6 billion on its military in 2021, the third highest in the world after the United States and China (SIPRI).

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