Indian armed forces facing deep crisis amid rising suicides, corrupt practices
New Delhi: Indicating plummeting morale and distressing service conditions, the Indian Armed Forces are grappling with a severe internal crisis, as an astonishing 1,325 suicides have been reported between 2014 and 2024.
According to a report by Kashmir Media Service, among these 1325 suicides, 983 were reported among the Indian Army, 246 among the Air Force, and 96 among the Navy. In what highlights the failure of human resource management within the ranks, one Indian soldier, on average, dies by suicide or an incident of fratricide every third day.
Concurrently, Indian military is involved in rampant corruption, with over 1,800 cases of financial misconduct recorded between 2000 and 2023. Top-ranking officers have been implicated in massive bribery scandals, including former Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, who admitted to taking INR 36 billion (USD 600 million) in bribes for the Agusta Westland helicopter deal. Similarly, former IAF Chief SK Sareen was involved in the Sukhoi jet scandal, accumulating illicit wealth.
Senior officers, including Maj Gen AK Shari and Brig Bhuvanagiri, purchased properties worth millions, while soldiers suffer from substandard food, poor pay, and abusive treatment. Marketed as an employment initiative, the Agnipath recruitment scheme has been exploited for political gains, benefiting BJP-affiliated people.
Political interference and rising Hindutva influence have further deteriorated the professionalism of India’s armed forces. Over 47,000 personnel resigned from paramilitary forces between 2016 and 2020 due to poor service conditions.
Meanwhile, India incurred a loss of over USD 20 billion due to defense procurement fraud, recruitment scams and illicit financial dealings. This has turned the Indian military into a breeding ground for corruption.
Besides, Indians officers are also involved in narco-arms smuggling and fake encounters. The corrupt practices among Indian armed forces have led to the collapse of morale, which paints a grim picture of an institution plagued by exploitation, mismanagement, and betrayal of its own soldiers.
