New Delhi

Former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane has stressed that the armed forces must remain insulated from politics, underscoring that decisions related to national security are taken by the government’s apex decision-making body and not influenced directly by political leadership.

In an interview, Gen Naravane said that operational and military decisions are made through established institutional mechanisms, particularly the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Political leadership does not interfere directly in military affairs, and attributing specific operational decisions to the Prime Minister is not appropriate. Decisions are taken through proper channels, and in the Army, they are executed under the authority of the Chief,” he said.

He emphasised that it is implicitly understood within the system that actions are carried out under authorised command structures, without the need to repeatedly attribute instructions to individuals.

Addressing the debate surrounding interpretations of his unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny, Gen Naravane said individuals are free to draw their own conclusions but should do so keeping national interest in mind.

His remarks come amid political controversy after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to excerpts from the unpublished manuscript during a parliamentary debate on the President’s Address. The ruling party had objected to citing material from a book not officially released, while the publisher later clarified that the memoir is not yet available for public sale.

The controversy is linked to comments regarding the 2020 India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh. Reiterating his earlier position, Gen Naravane said, “Not an inch of territory has been lost to China,” adding that he continues to stand by that statement.

“If someone chooses not to believe it, that is their prerogative. No amount of clarification or evidence can convince those who have already made up their minds,” he said.

Gen Naravane also highlighted the strong public trust in the Indian armed forces, noting that their credibility far outweighs any negative narratives arising from isolated controversies.

“The Indian armed forces draw strength from the respect and support of the people. This bond enables us to safeguard the nation’s borders with confidence,” he said.

He reiterated that the Army, Navy and Air Force take pride in maintaining an apolitical stance as institutions, which he described as essential for the strength of India’s democracy.

“At the organisational level, the armed forces are completely apolitical. That is one of the pillars of our democratic system, alongside the judiciary and the press,” he said.

However, he clarified that individual members of the armed forces retain their democratic rights as citizens, including the right to vote and hold personal political views.

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Gen Naravane, who recently held a book signing event in Pune for his fiction work The Cantonment Conspiracy, said he is now focusing on writing, alongside contributing to academic military journals.