India, March 12 -- On February 20, 2019, the Defence Ministry made an announcement that briefly revived hope among India's ex-servicemen community. Via its official Twitter handle, the Ministry promised the withdrawal of 60 civil appeals filed in the Supreme Court against disabled soldiers' rightful pension claims. The move, presented as a compassionate gesture "keeping in mind the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families," was welcomed enthusiastically by veterans as a step towards reducing the distress caused by lengthy and often unnecessary legal battles.

Yet, nearly six years later, optimism has given way to frustration and disenchantment. The issue was brought sharply back into the public eye recently when Trinamool Congress MP S...