Responding to the controversy, Naravane (retired) shed light on his literary venture and called it "unfair" to drag the armed forces into politics. He further clarified major claims related to the 2020 India-China standoff.

Who is General MM Naravane?

General MM Naravane, PVSM AVSM SM VSM ADC, is a distinguished figure in the Indian Army. He served as the 28th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and had also chaired the Chiefs of Staff Committee until April 2022.

Born on April 22, 1960, Gen. Naravane hailed from a Marathi Brahmin family in Pune. His military journey commenced at the National Defence Academy, followed by the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. He holds a Master's degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras. His educational pursuits also include an M.Phil. in Defence and Management Studies from Indore's Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya.

General Manoj Naravane's career spans multiple roles, including Vice Chief of Army Staff and several command positions such as GOC-in-C of Eastern Command and Army Training Command. His leadership and strategic skills have been shaped through intense training at Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College in Mhow, Wellington, and other institutions.

What is the controversy surrounding Naravane's book?

A political row erupted after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi cited excerpts from Naravane's unpublished memoir in the Lok Sabha. Following this, the ex-Army Chief called it "unfair" to drag the armed forces into politics. The latest release comes exactly 80 days after "Four Stars of Destiny" examined his four-decade career, including the 2020 Galwan Valley Standoff. It remains unpublished after being under the Ministry of Defence's review for years.

Though the publisher of the book, Penguin Random House, claimed it wasn't released, a published copy of the book "Four Stars of Destiny" was seen with the Congress leader in Parliament House. The episode has since sparked questions regarding clearance protocols for military memoirs. Naravane has maintained that the issue is being handled by the publisher and the government. In the aftermath of the controversy, the General had indicated he might steer clear of non-fiction.

Ex-Army Chief denies being "abandoned" during India-China standoff

Denying claims of being abandoned by the government during the peak of the China standoff, Naravane said that he had full support and authority to open fire on Chinese soldiers if the situation arose. His remarks come a few months after an intense parliamentary debate where Rahul Gandhi claimed 'Four Stars of Destiny', the General's unpublished book, revealed that the prime minister (through the medium of the defence minister) had told him to do what he thinks is right.

The directions were reportedly issued when Naravane sought orders from the Centre during a faceoff with Chinese forces on the Rechin La pass, located on the south bank of Pangong Lake.