New Book Publishing Rules For Armed Forces Amid Row Over Ex Army Chief Book

Controversy over an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General MM Naravane has triggered both a police investigation and a policy rethink within the Ministry of Defence, with the government now moving towards forming stricter rules on how serving and retired military personnel write and publish books.

At the centre of the row is General Naravane's memoir, Four Stars of Destiny. According to the publisher, Penguin Random House India, and the former Army Chief himself, the book has not yet been published. Despite that, a copy of what appeared to be the manuscript was seen in the hands of Rahul Gandhi in Parliament. A magazine has also published a report based on the contents of the book.

New Rules Under Consideration

Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Defence is working on a new rule regarding books related to the armed forces. Under the proposed framework, both serving and retired soldiers will be required to obtain prior permission from the Ministry before writing a book.

The rule is being specifically designed with retired veterans in mind, many of whom write books based on their experiences after leaving service. At present, there is no single, specific law governing the writing of books by retired military officers. Instead, different laws and service rules apply depending on the nature and content of the material.

According to sources, serious internal deliberations are underway within the Ministry of Defence. Detailed discussions are being held to draft new rules that would define procedures for writing and publishing books related to the military.

The proposed rules are expected to specify what procedures must be followed before writing or publishing such a book, whose permission must be obtained, and what action may be taken if these requirements are not met.

While the Ministry of Defence and the Army have declined to comment on the matter on the record, it is understood that the new rules may be implemented soon.

Existing Legal Provisions

According to sources, there has been discussion about incorporating provisions from existing service rules and the Official Secrets Act into the new framework. The protection of confidential information related to national security is considered paramount.

Under current legal provisions, retired officers are not directly barred from writing books. However, the Official Secrets Act continues to apply even after retirement. Disclosing confidential or sensitive information remains a criminal offence.

Military sources say the Official Secrets Act applies to every government employee, including those in the armed forces, and compliance is mandatory even after retirement. When an officer holds a senior position, they have access to a substantial amount of information. If they later write about matters directly related to their service, they must obtain the necessary clearance.

If a book contains material concerning military operations, sensitive information, or confidential matters, it must first be submitted to the Ministry of Defence for approval. The Ministry grants permission only after vetting the material with the relevant department.

The rules are already stricter for serving soldiers. They are required to obtain written permission for any book, article, or similar activity. This permission is routed through the chain of command to Army Headquarters or the Ministry of Defence.

Publishing confidential information, details of military operations, weapons capabilities, intelligence inputs, or anything that could affect national security or foreign relations is strictly prohibited. Even fictional narratives can be blocked if they contain actual military information or operational details.

The proposed new framework would formalise and clarify similar expectations for retired personnel.

Police Investigation 

The controversy deepened after Delhi Police added criminal conspiracy charges to its probe into the alleged unauthorised circulation of the unpublished manuscript. The investigation is being handled by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.

An official said the case pertains to the alleged circulation of a PDF version of the book on social media and other online platforms before any formal publication. A senior police officer confirmed that the focus of the investigation has now shifted to determining whether there was a criminal conspiracy behind the leak and the subsequent digital dissemination of the manuscript.

"Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India. Through the notice, several questions have been asked and detailed responses have been sought, including how the unpublished manuscript was allegedly leaked," the officer said.

A Special Cell team has also visited the publisher's office as part of the investigation.

According to the police, online posts and media reports claimed that a pre-print version of the book was being shared digitally, despite it not having received the mandatory clearances required for publication. During verification, investigators found that a PDF copy of a typeset book bearing the same title was available on certain websites.

"The document appeared to have been prepared by M/s Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd. Additionally, some online marketing platforms were displaying the finished book cover, suggesting that the book was available for purchase," police said in a statement.

An FIR was registered on Monday after allegations surfaced regarding the unauthorised dissemination of the manuscript. A dedicated team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police has been constituted to probe the matter. Another team is gathering details from social media platforms that allegedly hosted or shared the purported PDF, and those platforms may be called for scrutiny in the coming days.

Investigators are examining the source of the PDF, the circumstances under which it was uploaded or circulated, and whether any laws relating to publication, copyright, or official clearances were violated. The matter remains under investigation.

In a statement posted on X, Penguin Random House India said: "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 by Penguin Random House India."

The issue escalated after Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, read out excerpts from the memoir in the Lok Sabha, triggering a political row. The appearance of the manuscript in Parliament intensified questions about how an unpublished and reportedly uncleared text had entered the public domain.