The controversy surrounding former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane's unpublished memoir, Four Stars of Destiny, has ignited intense political and security debates in India, particularly regarding the 2020 India-China military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The book, originally slated for publication by Penguin Random House India in 2024, remains unpublished after the Ministry of Defence withheld clearance, reportedly due to sensitive content related to military operations, the Galwan Valley clash, and government policies like the Agnipath recruitment scheme. A leaked draft or typeset manuscript has circulated online, prompting an FIR by Delhi Police over its illegal distribution.
Key revelations from excerpts—primarily highlighted in a detailed article by The Caravan magazine—focus on a critical night during the standoff. On August 31, 2020, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) tanks and infantry advanced toward Rechin La near the Kailash Range, a strategically vital high ground that Indian forces had seized earlier that day in a preemptive move. Northern Command chief Lt Gen Yogesh Joshi alerted Naravane, who described the situation as escalating rapidly.
Naravane recounts making urgent calls to top officials, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, repeatedly asking, "What are my orders?" He notes that existing protocols required clearance "from the very top" before opening fire, but no clear directive emerged initially.
As Chinese forces closed in (eventually to within 500 meters of the pass), a PLA commander proposed de-escalation talks the next morning. Despite this, tensions persisted. At around 10:30 pm, after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh reportedly conveyed: "Jo uchit samjho, woh karo" (Do whatever you deem appropriate), framing it as a purely military decision. Naravane describes this as being "handed a hot potato," placing full responsibility on him amid concerns over potential escalation, COVID-19 impacts, logistics, and broader geopolitical risks including a possible collusive threat from China and Pakistan.
Ultimately, Naravane directed Indian tanks to position forward with guns depressed toward the PLA, creating a direct standoff that helped deter further advance without firing. The memoir portrays this as a moment of political ambiguity, contrasting with the government's public narrative of firm handling and control over the border situation.
The excerpts have revived broader questions about the 2020 crisis: intelligence failures leading to PLA ingress in May 2020, the Galwan clash (where 20 Indian soldiers died), China's "salami slicing" tactics, and parallel pressures (e.g., via Bhutan). Analysts note the memoir raises unresolved issues on early warnings, decision-making, and transparency.
The content sparked uproar in Parliament in early February 2026. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote passages in Lok Sabha to criticize the government's handling of the border issue and alleged "spinning" of the crisis narrative. The ruling side objected, citing rules against referencing unpublished material with potential security implications, leading to disruptions and accusations of suppressing debate.
Penguin Random House confirmed no copies have been published or distributed officially. Naravane has stated the clearance process is ongoing between the publisher and MoD.
The episode has fueled calls from figures like strategic analyst Brahma Chellaney for the government to expedite clearance and allow full publication for greater transparency on civil-military relations and national security. Meanwhile, opposition parties argue it exposes shortcomings in leadership during a major standoff that lasted until disengagement agreements in 2024.
The controversy underscores ongoing sensitivities around the LAC dispute, with the memoir—though unpublished—reopening scrutiny of one of the most serious India-China military confrontations in decades.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
