Regulation of Books by Armed Forces Personnel | 12 Feb 2026

Source:IE 

Amid controversy over the unpublished book Four Stars of Destiny by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane (retd.), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is drafting a new regulatory framework for serving and retired armed forces personnel wishing to publish books. 

• Current Legal Vacuum for Retirees: Unlike serving personnel, there is currently no single consolidated law specifically governing book-writing by retired Army officers. 
  • While they are no longer subject to the Army Act, 1950 or Army Rules,1954 regarding publications, the regulatory landscape remains a "legal grey area" dependent on individual judgment. 
• Applicability of Official Secrets Act (OSA): The Official Secrets Act, 1923 continues to apply to personnel for life, even after retirement.  
  • Disclosing classified information, operational details, or material prejudicial to national security remains a criminal offence punishable by law. 
• Regulations for Serving Personnel: There is a laid-down process within the respective defence services to grant permission for publishing content related to national interest, and legal provisions exist to address any incorrect or unlawful disclosures. 
  • Prior written permission is mandatory before undertaking any literary or remunerative activity. 
  • Content is routed through the chain of command (up to Army headquarters or MoD) for vetting to ensure no operational details, intelligence inputs, or internal procedures are compromised. 
• Comparison with Civil Servants: The government had previously amended the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules in 2021.  
  • This amendment specifically prohibits retired officials from intelligence or security-related organizations (like RAW, IB) from publishing sensitive information without prior clearance from the competent authority. 
• MOD Proposed Guidelines: The new framework aims to standardize the clearance process for manuscripts, incorporating provisions from existing service rules and the OSA to close the current regulatory gaps for veterans.