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Ministry of Defence is drafting strict new rules mandating pre-publication clearance for books by serving and retired military personnel, sparked by the ongoing hold on former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane’s memoir “Four Stars of Destiny.”
Ministry of Defence is formulating formal guidelines governing book publications by serving and retired armed forces personnel, a policy move triggered by the controversy over former Army Chief General MM Naravane‘s unpublished memoir, “Four Stars of Destiny.”
A senior defence official confirmed that a meeting was recently held within the ministry during which a detailed presentation was made on how to draft clear rules for publications by defence personnel, according to The Hindu. The proposed framework aims to close regulatory gaps by incorporating provisions from existing service rules and the Official Secrets Act into a unified clearance process
Mandatory clearance before publication
Under the new system, manuscripts containing details about military operations, strategic matters, or sensitive information will require submission to the Ministry of Defence or Army Headquarters before they can be shared with publishers.
Previously, there was no clearly written or consolidated rule requiring ministry clearance specifically for retired officers before publishing books.
For serving personnel, prior written permission has long been mandatory under the Army Rules of 1954, which require Central Government sanction for publishing any material related to service subjects or political matters.
However, retired personnel are no longer governed by the Army Act regarding publications, creating what officials describe as a “legal grey area”.
The Official Secrets Act, 1923 remains enforceable for life, even after retirement, prohibiting the disclosure of classified information that could be prejudicial to national security. Non-compliance could result in penalties including withdrawal or withholding of pension under amended Central Civil Services Pension Rules.
Political controversy sparks policy response
The guidelines follow weeks of political uproar over Gen Naravane’s memoir, which remains under Defence Ministry review after more than a year. The book sparked controversy in the Lok Sabha during the budget session when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi cited reported excerpts from the unpublished work discussing the 2020 India-China standoff in Ladakh. The government objected to quoting an unpublished book, leading to eight MPs being suspended for “unruly behaviour”.
Publisher Penguin Random House India issued a statement clarifying it holds exclusive publishing rights to the memoir and that no copies have been published, distributed, or sold to the public. An RTI response revealed that among 35 manuscripts submitted to the MoD since 2020, Naravane’s memoir is the only one still pending clearance.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh maintained in Parliament that the book remains “not correct,” which is why it has not received approval. The government says the proposed guidelines will safeguard national security while respecting freedom of expression.
Published: 13 Feb 2026, 02:30 pm IST
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