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- Arora added that the government is working closely with industry leaders, academic institutions and other stakeholders to identify skill gaps and design focused training programmes tailored to the needs of the defence and aerospace sectors.
- Drawing on its long-standing association with military service, Punjab is positioning itself to play a leading role in absorbing Agniveers into the country’s expanding defence manufacturing sector once they complete their tenure in the Armed Forces.
- Addressing a Defence Skills Conclave organised by the Punjab government on Saturday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the state has the potential to convert disciplined, trained youth into a valuable industrial workforce.
Drawing on its long-standing association with military service, Punjab is positioning itself to play a leading role in absorbing Agniveers into the country’s expanding defence manufacturing sector once they complete their tenure in the Armed Forces. Addressing a Defence Skills Conclave organised by the Punjab government on Saturday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the state has the potential to convert disciplined, trained youth into a valuable industrial workforce.
He noted that Agniveers, after completing four years of service, possess technical skills, operational exposure and a strong work ethic that can be channelled into roles such as shop-floor supervisors, equipment technicians and even defence-sector entrepreneurs. According to him, structured institutional pathways could help ensure their smooth transition from military service to civilian industry.
Approved in 2022, the Agniveer scheme provides short-term recruitment into the Armed Forces, with only a quarter of each batch being retained for permanent service. The remaining personnel are released after four years, and the first cohort is now nearing the end of its tenure. Singh said the Centre is working on mechanisms to make these personnel “industry-ready” by embedding additional skill modules into their training and awarding formal diplomas aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework. These qualifications would be recognised in the civilian sector, aiding employment in defence and allied industries, over and above existing reservations in paramilitary forces and other government organisations.
Highlighting the broader industrial context, the Defence Secretary said self-reliance in defence production has moved from being a strategic goal to a national necessity. Rapid geopolitical shifts, changing supply chains and the growing importance of technological superiority, he said, have opened a window of opportunity for India to strengthen its domestic defence manufacturing base.
He emphasised that skilled manpower remains the backbone of this effort and praised Punjab for initiating specialised training clusters focused on defence component manufacturing. With suitable reorientation of skills and infusion of modern technology, he said, the state’s industrial ecosystem could be effectively aligned with defence production.
Presiding over the conclave, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Aman Arora underlined that modern warfare demands not only courage but also advanced technical capabilities. He said the state government aims to develop Punjab into a major hub of skilled technologists and engineers, contributing to national self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Arora added that the government is working closely with industry leaders, academic institutions and other stakeholders to identify skill gaps and design focused training programmes tailored to the needs of the defence and aerospace sectors. As part of this effort, the state signed multiple memoranda of understanding with industry bodies and technology firms to enhance employability and technological proficiency among Punjab’s youth.
The conclave brought together representatives from industry, research and development institutions, academia and several state governments, reflecting a growing emphasis on building a coordinated, industry-driven skilling ecosystem to support India’s strategic sectors.
