Countries which follow the rule of military services, compulsory for its citizens. Just like India has implemented the Agnipath scheme recently, for its citizens.
Thousands of young people live in countries where compulsory military service has left a deep impact on their lives, from being pressured to go to war and costing their lifetime in the military without their will.
Here is a list of few Countries where military services are compulsory-
Russia
Conscription in Russia has been a brutal reality since the Soviet era. Senior Russian soldiers are notorious for exploiting (sometimes involving physical injury) conscripted soldiers, a practice known as hazing. Worse, Russia has a history of employing poorly trained conscripted soldiers in military confrontations, as evidenced by the current war with Ukraine and the war in Chechnya.
Military duty for able-bodied men aged 18 to 27 years in Russia is required by Russian law for a duration of 12 months. If a man’s “convictions or religious beliefs conflict with military service,” the Russian constitution permits him to choose for a non-military type of national service. Those who refuse to be drafted may be fined or imprisoned.
Korea
For the past 72 years, South and North Korea have been technically at odds. Both countries’ militaries have been strengthened because of the enmity. North Korea follows a military-first policy known as ‘Songun,’ in which the military is given priority over all other resources. School graduates are typically drafted into the military when they are 17 to 18 years old.
Military duty for men was decreased to ten years from thirteen years in 2003, and for women to seven years from ten in 2003. Women’s military duty was previously voluntary, but it was declared mandatory in 2015.
Men in neighboring South Korea are required to serve in the army, navy, or air force for 21 months, 23 months, or 24 months, respectively (24 months).
Israel
Except for ultra-Orthodox and Arab Israelis, all Israelis who turn 18 are required to serve in the military under the 1949 Israeli Security Service Law. Jews, Druze, and Circassians are all required to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces. Men must serve in the military for two years and eight months, while women must serve for two years.
Compulsory military duty is waived for Israeli Arabs, religious women, married people, and those considered medically or psychologically unfit. Nearly half of Jewish Israelis (47%) support removing forced conscription and transforming the Israel Defense Forces into a volunteer, professional military, according to a poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute late last year.
Turkey
The Turkish parliament enacted a measure in 2019 that decreased the mandatory military service period from 12 months to six months. Anyone who want to prolong their service for another six months can do so for a fixed fee. Conscripts can also pay a little more than $5,000 to skip one month of military training and be exempt from the remaining five months of service.
All male citizens between the ages of 20 and 41 are required to serve in the military. Those studying higher education or vocational training can postpone duty until they finish their courses. By paying a fee, Turkish citizens living abroad are exempted from mandatory military duty.
Brazil
According to Article 143 of the Federal Republic of Brazil’s constitution, military service is mandatory for all male Brazilian citizens. They must serve in the military for at least 12 months, but they can choose to continue enlisted for up to 8 years. The duration of duty is between 10 and 12 months.
Typically, recruiting begins when a person reaches the age of eighteen. Refusing to join is thought to result in the loss of political rights, such as the ability to vote or run for office. There are also roadblocks when it comes to running for public office. Women are not required to serve in the military.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, military duty is mandatory for men starting at the age of 20 and voluntary for women. Although the initial military duty is only 21 weeks long, additional training programmes must be completed until adulthood. When all the service periods are added together, the overall service duration is little less than a year.
A referendum to eliminate conscription was held in Switzerland in 2013, however it failed, with nearly 73 percent of the public voting in favor of male recruitment. This was the country’s third referendum on the subject. However, the conversation has shifted to boosting the military. Following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the country is considering making military service mandatory for women by 2024.
This is only the list of few countries which follow military services as a mandatory thing for its citizens, there are more countries like this as well. The Agnipath scheme India has launched is going to be very problematic for the young youth of the country, as this is very new to them and there was no trial which happened before implementation. The government should have done a trail test to make things which clear to the young youth, which as a result wouldn’t have been such a chaos, currently happening in the country.
