AIZAWL
When Lalngaihawmi Sailo walks to church these days, people stop to congratulate her. A few years ago, the 44-year-old widow would make the same walk carrying a heavy burden. Her husband, a fourth-grade employee at a hospital in Aizawl, died in 2018, plunging the family into financial hardship and emotional uncertainty. The hospital quarters had to be vacated, debts mounted and every rupee counted.
Night after night, Lalngaihawmi would visit her church to pour out her grief and pray. Redemption came nearly seven years later. Her 20-year-old son, Lalhriatpuia, got selected for the British army last year. He is now stationed in Scotland and is part of a growing number of Mizo youth finding employment in the British armed forces.
For families like the Sailos, the trend has brought new hope and financial stability. But in New Delhi, it has caused concern. The ministry of defence is closely watching the increasing recruitment of young Mizos into the British army, viewing it through the prism of the state’s unique history, strategic location and past instances of insurgency. While exact figures are difficult to verify, more than 50 Mizos are believed to be serving, and the number has risen steadily in recent years.
Inside the Sailo family’s modest rented room in Aizawl’s bustling Dawrpui locality, plywood sheets divide the cramped space into tiny sections. The family pays Rs10,000 a month in rent. “Everything changed after my father’s death,” said Mawii, Lalngaihawmi’s daughter. “Money became a constant worry. I had to stop my studies after class 12 because we decided to focus on Lalhriatpuia’s education. He had the talent.”
Mawii still cannot believe that her brother managed to pull it off. “People with money and connections cannot get this job. And here is Lalhriatpuia, now in Scotland,” said Mawii, her voice breaking at times. “The community stood by us through the hardest days. And now people talk about us with pride. It is not just about money. Our respect and standing in society have gone up, too,” Mawii said. Mizo society is deeply rooted in Christianity and strong community ties. Families facing hardship rarely struggle alone.
The family’s challenges are not entirely over, though. They have to pay back relatives who lent money to cover Lalhriatpuia’s visa and travel expenses. “We couldn’t attend his passing-out parade. Travelling to the UK was simply beyond our means,” said Lalngaihawmi.
Lalhriatpuia calls his mother and sister almost every night, usually between midnight and 1am. “He always talks about how well the Mizo boys perform during training,” said Mawii. “It is that Mizo toughness.” She now hopes to return to education herself. “I want to study pharmacology,” she said.
For Bualchhuak, another recruit, the journey began with a casual family conversation. “One of his cousins had already served 14 years in the British army and retired as a sergeant. He was the one who encouraged Bualchhuak to apply,” said his father, David Zosangzuala. After clearing online tests and medical examinations, Bualchhuak travelled to Britain in April 2024 for the final assessment. He was successful and began training four months later.
A former Indian soldier who now works at Mizoram House in New Delhi, Zosangzuala said he had never been prouder than when his son joined the British army. For many in Mizoram, Britain occupies a unique place in the collective memory. “They taught us to read and write. They brought Christianity to us,” he said. Even the United States, in his view, does not evoke the same emotional connection. Yet sentiment alone does not explain the growing interest. For many applicants, the process is lengthy, expensive and uncertain.
Singer Rebecca Saimawii, who lives in Bengaluru, recalls the difficult path taken by her son Nikolas. “My son applied on his own and kept emailing recruitment officers until he finally secured an assessment date,” she said. Then came an unexpected setback. On May 4, 2025, immigration officials at Bengaluru airport accused Nikolas of tearing out the final two pages of his passport. “He was devastated. He kept telling them he would never destroy a dream he had spent more than a year pursuing. But they seized his passport and he missed the flight,” she said. The family returned home heartbroken, having lost both money and opportunity.
The British army postponed his assessment, giving him time to obtain a new passport. He eventually travelled to the UK, passed the assessment and appeared to have overcome the crisis.
Another obstacle soon emerged. His visa was nearing expiry, forcing him to return to India and renew it before continuing the process. “It was emotionally draining, with paperwork and expenses proving overwhelming. But by God’s grace, he persevered and secured a stable future,” said Saimawii.
Twenty-year-old Lalruathlua followed a different route. A student of the Sainik School at Chhingchhip, he had always wanted a military career. After failing twice in the National Defence Academy examination, he applied to the British army and was selected. He joined in April this year. His mother, also named Lalngaihawmi, runs a small garment shop in Aizawl. “With his salary, we have already cleared the loans we took for his visa and tickets,” she said. “Right now he sends about 10 per cent of his income to the church. I think he is already planning to build a house for us in four or five years.”
Many are unaware that the British army allows citizens of Commonwealth countries to enlist, provided they satisfy eligibility requirements. Indian citizens are, therefore, eligible to apply. Applicants may join from the age of 16, although those below 18 require parental consent. The British army website currently notes that applications from Commonwealth citizens are temporarily closed while authorities process what it describes as an “unprecedented volume of applications from 2024”. The website also states that Commonwealth soldiers remain “an important and valued part of the British army”.
Financial considerations are a major factor. “The salary is much better, around Rs2.5 lakh a month when converted into Indian currency,” said Zosangzuala. “Britain is expensive, but my son still manages to save and send money home.”
The possibility of eventually settling in Britain also appeals to many applicants. Equally important is the presence of a growing Mizo diaspora. “These boys meet each other on weekends, have dinner together and spend time as a community. It becomes a home away from home,” Zosangzuala said. The economic impact is visible across the state. “A cousin came back, built a house in Aizawl and started a business for his brother,” he said. Such stories circulate quickly in Mizoram’s tightly knit society, encouraging others to explore similar opportunities.
The phenomenon has also attracted attention in New Delhi. In a letter dated August 8, 2025, the defence secretary wrote to the Mizoram chief secretary that recruitment of youth from Mizoram into the British army was increasing, partly because of targeted outreach and shared cultural and linguistic links. The letter, seen by THE WEEK, warned that the trend could “increase the influence of foreign powers” in Mizoram. “Given the national security implications, it is requested that periodic oversight on this matter be maintained,” it said.
Such concerns are shaped by Mizoram’s complex history. The state experienced a two-decade insurgency that ended with the signing of the 1986 peace accord. Former rebel leader Laldenga later became chief minister and was succeeded by his close associate Zoramthanga. The roots of the insurgency can be traced to the devastating Mautam famine. Every 48 years, bamboo forests across Mizoram flower simultaneously, triggering a surge in rodent population. The rodents destroy crops and food stocks, causing widespread hardship. The term Mautam is derived from the Mizo words mau, meaning bamboo, and tam, meaning perish or death.
The famine that began in 1959 fuelled public anger over what many perceived as an inadequate government response. The Mizo National Front, led by Laldenga, emerged from this period and eventually transformed into an armed movement demanding independence. On February 28, 1966, the MNF launched coordinated attacks on government installations and security establishments, briefly capturing Aizawl. The Indian Air Force responded with air strikes on Mizo settlements, the only known instance in independent India in which the Air Force bombed its own territory during an internal conflict.
Today, however, the challenges confronting many young Mizos are different. Unemployment remains high. Drug addiction continues to affect sections of the youth. Against this backdrop, overseas employment opportunities carry enormous appeal. The British army has emerged as one of the most visible pathways to stable income, social mobility and financial security.
The Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC), a statutory body created by the state government in 2008, now provides free help-desk support to applicants across a range of employment and youth development initiatives. Earlier, private agencies such as Inspire and Capita assisted candidates, often charging significant fees. “We helped 24 youth join the Border Security Force in 2025 and 77 join the Territorial Army in 2026,” said MYC chairman Malsawmzuala Ralte.
The commission has also helped place Mizo youth in Japan’s caregiving sector, Taiwan’s semiconductor industry and various hospitality jobs. “I spoke to a Mizo girl working as a caregiver in Japan. She earns the equivalent of Rs1.25 lakh a month and sends Rs50,000 home every month,” Ralte said.
The defence secretary’s letter, meanwhile, specifically mentioned MYC’s role in assisting candidates applying to the British army by helping them secure visas for assessments conducted in the United Kingdom.
For policymakers, the issue raises questions about foreign influence and long-term strategic implications. For many families in Mizoram, however, the reality is more immediate. It is about paying off loans, funding education, building homes and creating opportunities that once seemed unattainable.
