Centre mulls 20-year cooling-off for retired armed forces officers amid Naravane row

The deliberations come against the backdrop of a political storm over references to Naravane’s memoir in Parliament.

• 20-year cooling-off for armed forces' book authors proposed
• MoD drafting new rules for personnel's publications
• FIR filed over leaked memoir of ex-Army chief Naravane

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The Centre is reportedly considering introducing detailed new guidelines, including a possible 20-year cooling-off period, for serving and retired armed forces personnel seeking to write and publish books, amid the controversy over former Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane’s unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny.

As per top officials, the issue was discussed at a recent Union Cabinet meeting, where several ministers favoured a mandatory cooling-off period for those who have held positions of power, including senior military officers, before authoring books on sensitive subjects, reported Hindustan Times. A formal order could be issued soon, they said, adding that the matter was not part of the Cabinet’s official 27-point agenda but arose during general discussions.

The deliberations come against the backdrop of a political storm over references to Naravane’s memoir in Parliament.

The controversy centres on his account of events during the August 2020 India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh, particularly developments on the Kailash Range along the southern bank of Pangong Tso on August 31, 2020. Portions of the manuscript allegedly suggest there was no immediate political directive on how the Army should respond to Chinese actions.

His claim has drawn sharp reactions from the government.

MoD drafting formal framework

Separately, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is preparing a comprehensive framework that would clearly define procedures for both serving and retired personnel before publishing books, reported the Hindu.

A senior defence official confirmed to the newspaper that a recent meeting was held to draft new rules and that a detailed presentation was made. The framework is expected to incorporate provisions from existing service regulations as well as the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

At present, no single consolidated law governs book-writing by retired Army officers. Serving personnel must obtain prior written permission before undertaking literary or remunerative work, but retirees operate within a legal grey area. However, statutory laws, especially the OSA, continue to apply for life.

The OSA makes it a criminal offence to disclose classified information, sensitive operational details, intelligence inputs, or material prejudicial to national security.

If a manuscript contains operational or sensitive content, authors are expected to submit it to the MoD for vetting. The relevant department examines the material and records observations before granting approval.

For serving personnel, rules are stricter.

Service regulations mandate prior written clearance for publishing books, articles or engaging in political or remunerative activities. Requests move through the chain of command and may require approval from Army Headquarters or the MoD. Publishing classified operations, internal procedures, equipment capabilities, intelligence assessments, or material affecting foreign relations is strictly barred. Even fictional works may face scrutiny if they resemble real operations.

The proposed guidelines are expected to formalise similar expectations for retirees.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, however, said he was unaware of any specific proposal for new guidelines.

"I am not, frankly, aware of this particular issue you are mentioning regarding whether new guidelines are being considered. There are existing guidelines, and the Official Secrets Act applies," Singh told ANI.

"In this case, the issue is not that guidelines do not exist; the issue is whether someone has tried to bypass them. From public sources, I know that the agencies are looking into this. However, I am not aware of any new guidelines, and in any case, existing guidelines and existing laws, particularly the OSA, do apply when it comes to sensitive matters," he added.

The row escalated after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi cited the unpublished memoir in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session. The government objected, stating the book had not been published. Gandhi later displayed what appeared to be a copy in Parliament, and a PDF version soon began circulating on social media.

The Delhi Police Special Cell registered an FIR on February 9 after taking cognisance of claims that a pre-print version was being shared digitally without mandatory clearances. Criminal conspiracy charges were later added.

The Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India, seeking detailed responses on how the manuscript was allegedly leaked. Officials from the publishing house have been questioned for two consecutive days.

According to the police, a PDF of a typeset book bearing the same title was found on certain websites, and some online platforms displayed the finished cover, suggesting it was available for purchase.

Investigating officers are examining the source of the file and whether publication, copyright or clearance norms were violated.

In a statement on X, Penguin Random House India, early this week, stated, “We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies of the book — in print or digital form — have been published, distributed, sold or otherwise made available to the public.”

The publisher earlier warned that "any copies of the book currently in circulation, in whole or in part… constitute an infringement" of its copyright and that legal remedies would be pursued.

Soon after, Naravane also endorsed the publisher’s stand, stating that no copies had been published or made available publicly.

The memoir was initially slated for release in January 2024.

In December 2023, Press Trust of India had carried excerpts, including portions on the Agniveer scheme, sparking controversy. Around the same time, Naravane had tweeted that the book "is available now" and shared a pre-order link. The defence ministry subsequently asked that the manuscript be submitted for clearance.

The Army reviewed the text and forwarded its observations to the MoD, which has yet to grant approval.