When soldiers return to civilian life, the battles they face are rarely on the battlefield. Across the world, veterans carry scars that are visible and invisible: lingering injuries, post-traumatic stress, and a struggle to find belonging outside the regimented life of service. The way a state responds to these needs reveals its deepest priorities.
For India, with nearly three million former service personnel, the challenge is not abstract but immediate. Despite incremental improvements, the country’s veteran welfare architecture remains uneven—especially when measured against practices abroad. The question before New Delhi is whether it is prepared to build a system that views veterans not as dependents but as continuing contributors to national strength.
The Global Landscape: Three Models, Three Mindsets
Different societies have grappled with this issue in distinct ways. The United States established a massive bureaucracy—the Department of Veterans Affairs—intended to provide a range of services, from hospital care to housing loans. Its scale is unmatched, but veterans often complain that the system itself becomes a maze of red tape.
Britain chose a different path. It enshrined the Armed Forces Covenant, a moral commitment that local councils and charities are legally bound to respect. The result is a more decentralised, community-oriented framework that ensures no veteran should be disadvantaged in healthcare, housing or employment.
Israel, meanwhile, offers a strikingly different philosophy. With universal conscription and an ever-present security threat, the state views military service as a valuable asset. Veterans step into civilian life with subsidised housing, vocational training, and credibility in business and technology sectors. Service is less an interruption than a launchpad.
India’s Approach: Expanding but Fragmented
India’s current system, anchored in the Ministry of Defence’s Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, provides pensions, healthcare through the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), and limited resettlement programmes. The Armed Forces Flag Day Fund supplements these measures with public donations, while digitisation has improved grievance redressal.
Yet beneath the surface, problems persist. Rural veterans face patchy access to medical facilities. Opportunities for second careers are scarce, with most training schemes undersubscribed or outdated. Psychological support remains underdeveloped, even as awareness of post-service trauma slowly grows. The sheer diversity of India’s veteran community—spread across cities, towns and villages—makes delivery inconsistent.
What India Can Learn
Three lessons stand out from international experience. First, reintegration into society cannot be limited to financial support. The United States demonstrates that higher education and structured career transition programs help veterans transition into productive civilian roles.
Second, community ownership matters. Britain’s model demonstrates how local bodies, when empowered, can make welfare responsive and humane. For India, linking veteran support to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban municipalities could reduce the distance between the beneficiary and the state.
Third, service must be reframed as a societal advantage. Israel’s example illustrates how skills honed in uniform—such as discipline, leadership, and technical expertise—can be leveraged for entrepreneurship and innovation. In India, targeted scholarships, startup grants, and vocational pathways could turn military service into a career accelerator rather than a detour.
Towards a Holistic Framework
Reform in India will require moving beyond incremental fixes. A forward-looking model must integrate healthcare, education, housing, mental health, and career opportunities under a single, coherent vision. Partnerships with universities, private enterprises, and non-governmental organisations could expand opportunities without overburdening the state.
Public perception also needs recalibration. While ceremonial respect for the armed forces is strong, everyday recognition of veterans’ struggles is weak. Awareness campaigns and community engagement can help build the kind of cultural obligation that sustains welfare frameworks elsewhere.
An Investment in National Strength
Caring for veterans is often framed as an act of gratitude. In truth, it is also an act of statecraft. Neglect risks undermining morale within the serving ranks and wastes the skills of those who could continue to contribute to the economy and society. A robust welfare framework is not simply about repaying a debt—it is about investing in resilience.
For a nation that aspires to be a major power, India cannot afford to let its former soldiers fade into neglect. The uniform may be retired, but the state’s responsibility endures.