Opinion: There is a shortage of soldiers in the world but why should Indians sacrifice their lives in war?

New Delhi: Many powerful countries of the world are currently fighting for supremacy. In such a situation, countries all over the world are facing shortage of soldiers in their armies. They are recruiting foreign nationals to fill this shortage. The situation is even more serious in Europe because the young generation is not interested in joining the army. An example of this came to light recently when several Indian youth were lured into joining the Russian army in the Russia-Ukraine war. The agents promised them money and jobs. This incident highlights the changing war strategies of the 21st century and the role of foreign fighters in them. Since the Russia-Ukraine war, many countries in Europe have reintroduced mandatory military service or tightened existing policies. Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia took this step after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2014. But despite this, these countries are not able to get the required number of soldiers. A major reason for this is that the youth of countries like Europe and even Canada are no longer attracted by the shine of the uniform. Growing nationalist sentiment toward immigrants may also have contributed to the rise of right-wing nationalist parties in Europe. But even this has not helped in motivating the youth to join the army.

Russia launched dangerous troops against Ukraine

Russia infamously used the Wagner Group against Ukraine, while the US has been using these contractors in Middle East battlefields for decades. In 2005, then-US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld described deploying these contractors to Iraq as economical and useful, thereby legitimizing for-profit troops. As for the United Nations, it has drawn up multilateral conventions against the recruitment of mercenaries and foreign fighters but has made little effort to enforce them.

The red line has been crossed

One might assume that governments in Europe and elsewhere would hesitate to cross the ethical boundaries associated with pushing non-citizens into the battlefield. After all, serving the armed forces involves an element of civic duty and patriotism that cannot be expected of a foreigner. Germany’s federal armed forces, the Bundeswehr, have been toying with the idea of ​​filling the ranks with citizens of other EU countries for some time. Yes, Germany is considering recruiting only from EU stocks, but a red line has been crossed.

Why do countries need additional soldiers?

A Reuters report in July may provide answers as to why Germany wants to go beyond its borders to recruit troops. It said NATO would need 35 to 50 additional brigades, with each brigade made up of 3,000 to 7,000 soldiers, to push back Russia. Germany alone would have to increase its air defense capabilities fourfold. The report did not specify where the additional forces would come from.

war between colombian troops and houthi rebels

While Germany might focus on incorporating non-Germans from Europe, others looked far beyond their borders to find men who would fight for them. In 2015 reports emerged that the United Arab Emirates had sent 450 specially trained Colombian soldiers to fight Houthi rebels in Yemen. There were also reports of Eritrean forces being embedded with Emirati forces. Israel has also been criticized for years for ‘lone soldier’ ​​recruitment, which allows people of non-Israeli Jewish origin or new Jewish immigrants to join the defense forces.

Why is there hesitation in giving entry to outsiders in the army?

In 2018, a Foreign Policy magazine columnist also suggested that European countries should not hesitate in admitting migrants. Elizabeth Brough, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote that European countries should take inspiration from France’s Great Foreign Legion, which is composed mostly of foreign citizens, and allows immigrants to join the armed forces. ‘Given this demographic challenge, copying some aspects of foreign military models is a promising solution,’ she wrote.

There was mention of Nepali Gorkhas

Some may argue that India and Britain’s recruitment of Nepalese Gurkhas into their regiments is also a backdoor entry for foreign nationals into the armed forces. But this would be far from the truth as all three countries had signed a tripartite agreement in 1947 that respected the heritage of the Gorkha Regiment and their rights. Given high unemployment among youth in urban areas, India could become fertile ground for recruiting infantrymen for international battlefields. To stop this, India will have to make strict and strong rules.