NEW DELHI, Nov 6:
Indian citizens even if they have never lived in the United Kingdom can now join the country’s military.
The Ministry of Defence on Monday announced that it has relaxed the recruitment criteria to increase the number of Commonwealth recruits to 1350 per year, that will be introduced over several years.
The MOD previously had a five-year residency in the UK requirement, in order to allow Commonwealth personnel to qualify for recruitment into the Armed Forces.
Monday’s announcement removed this requirement.
Of the 1350 new annual recruits, the Army is expecting to hire around 1000 personnel, with the Navy and the RAF expecting to recruit around 300 and 50 respectively, the MoD said in a statement.
The ministry said the move builds on the long-held links Britain’s military has with Commonwealth countries, where recruits from across the globe have bravely served in a variety of roles, in many conflicts.
“From Australia to Jamaica, to Fiji and South Africa, Commonwealth recruits are already playing a key role in our Armed Forces. So we’re stepping up the numbers of recruits from the Commonwealth, knowing that they will bring key skills and dedicated service to our military,” said Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster.
“Their different perspectives will also help us to enhance our cultural understanding, giving us an operational advantage over our adversaries.” As part of the phased approach, those who have already applied for Army roles but been on hold due to the limited numbers we were able to accept each year, will be given priority.
The Royal Navy and RAF will begin recruitment procedures immediately, with Army applications opening in early 2019. All roles and ranks will be open to Commonwealth citizens, from all Commonwealth countries who are aged 18 or over.
In 2016, the five year residency requirement was waived to allow for 200 Commonwealth citizens with specialist skills apply for a limited number of roles.
Britain already employs some 4500 Commonwealth citizens in the Armed Forces.
In recent years, the Armed Forces has had more than 7500 Commonwealth citizens in its ranks, with a wide variety of countries represented, including Fiji, Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica, Australia and St Vincent. (UNI)
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