The Indian Army has asked various commands for feedback on this proposed action.

Currently, after roughly six years of service, mid-level officers with the rank of Major are often awarded staff postings at various corps command and division headquarters.

While unit appointments concentrate on operational and ground operations, staff appointments involve postings in headquarters where officers are in charge of formulating policies and coordinating various topics.

The Army is lacking 8,129 officers, including in the Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps, according to a report in the Indian Express. While the Indian Air Force requires 721 officers, the Indian Navy requires 1,653 officers.

The army had already sent 461 non-empanelled officers to staff assignments to help with the officer shortfall.

Until the officer shortfall is reduced, the current proposal involves temporarily limiting some staff appointments in headquarters.

It has been suggested that junior and mid-level officers who are currently working under staff appointments be transferred after serving their full 24-month term.

Indian political circles have taken notice of the Indian Express report. Mallikarjun Kharge, the head of the Congress, posted the news story on Twitter and blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration for failing to fill open positions in the armed services.

Kharge charged that the Modi administration put the destruction of political parties ahead of filling critical positions in the armed services. He asserted that the Agnipath initiative is the government’s admission that it is unable to pay for the nation’s military.

In addition, Kharge claimed that the Modi administration had abandoned the military by improperly implementing the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) system and dividing the valiant warriors as a result. He continued by accusing the Modi administration of violating the will of the people and said that national security is not a top priority for them.