Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said all Agniveers would be eligible for enrolment as regular soldiers after completing their extended two-year tenure, subject to their willingness and fulfilment of the selection criteria.The minister, who addressed troops during a ‘Diwali Milan’ event at the Indian Air Force Station in Bagdogra, West Bengal, called upon the defence forces to maintain the highest level of operational readiness, with a sharp focus on enhancing domain awareness, cyber resilience and information integrity to counter non-conventional security threats.Rajnath’s remarks on Agniveers came three days after the government announced that the personnel due to leave the military at the end of their four-year tenure would be granted a two-year extension and subsequent permanent enrolment, subject to meeting specific eligibility criteria.Chief of Defence Staff Gen NS Raja Subramani had on November 4 said the eligibility criteria would include a soldier’s willingness to continue in service, meeting the prescribed physical fitness and having no pending disciplinary cases.Introduced in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme provides for the recruitment of soldiers for a four-year term, with only 25 per cent of them retained in regular service upon completion of their tenure. General Subramani announced the changes to the scheme following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.At present, over 3 lakh Agniveers are serving in the military. Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, had targeted the government over the scheme, wondering what would happen to 75 per cent of the soldiers once their four-year tenure ended.Interacting with IAF personnel on the eve of Diwali, Rajnath said the security landscape had become increasingly complex, with modern warfare extending beyond conventional border conflicts to include asymmetric warfare, proxy wars, cyberattacks, drone swarms and information manipulation.“The adversary often avoids direct confrontation and instead seeks to exploit our vulnerabilities. Through social media, it may try to sow doubts in the minds of the local population and our soldiers by spreading misleading information. In such a scenario, your role goes beyond that of an ordinary soldier,” he said.Describing Bagdogra, located in the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor connecting the Northeast with central India, as a crucial link in the security matrix, the minister commended the courage and dedication of the forces.The event was attended by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Air Officer Commanding of Bagdogra Air Force Station Air Commodore Manish Sharma and other senior officers.Rajnath also reviewed the operational preparedness of the Army’s 33 Corps, headquartered at Sukna in West Bengal. He was briefed on infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China as well as the induction of advanced military equipment and emerging technologies. The 33 Corps is responsible for guarding the India-China border in Sikkim.