No defence personnel has left service due to stress in last 3 years: MoS Defence

In early January, a study by think tank United Service Institution of India (USI) had said the Indian Army has been losing more personnel every year in suicides, fratricides and untoward incidents than in any enemy action and over half of its soldiers seem to be under severe stress presently.

To a question in Rajya Sabha, Naik said in his written reply, “The number of suicide and fratricide cases are minimal and they have been going down due to a large number of measures initiated by the armed forces, including conduct and implementation of recommendations of studies by Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR).”

After media reported on the USI study in early January, it was removed from the think tank”s website. Moreover, its findings were rejected by Army Chief General M M Naravane during a press conference on January 12.

Naik said on Monday, “As per available data, no defence personnel has left service due to stress in last three years.”

The government has taken several steps towards stress amelioration amongst troops, which include deployment of trained psychological counsellors, improvement in the quality of food and clothing, training in stress management, provision of recreational facilities and leave concessions, Naik noted.