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General Naravane Slams Efforts to Politicise Indian Army

Former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has strongly rejected claims that the Army is being politicised, stating the institution remains apolitical. He clarified that following orders from political leadership, such as the Defence Minister, is part of the chain of command and not a sign of politicisation. Naravane highlighted that India's progress relative to neighbouring Pakistan is due to the military's apolitical nature. He urged soldiers to have faith in themselves and avoid being drawn into political debates.

Key Points: General Naravane: Army is Apolitical, Will Remain So

  • General Naravane asserts Army remains apolitical
  • Following political orders does not mean politicisation
  • Chain of command is key to military discipline
  • India's progress compared to Pakistan due to apolitical military
  • Army has self-confidence to avoid political traps
3 min read

We are apolitical and will remain so: General Naravane slams attempts to link Army with politics

Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane criticises attempts to link the military with politics, emphasising the chain of command and apolitical nature of the Indian armed forces.

"We are an apolitical Army, and we will remain apolitical. - General Manoj Mukund Naravane"

New Delhi, April 25

Former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has emphasised the significant distinction between politics and the Indian armed forces, criticising efforts to link the military to political matters.

He said that the Indian Army follows a "chain of command" and following the orders of the political leadership does not indicate the institution has become political.

General Naravane said this in an interview with IANS in response to a question regarding the politics involving the Army.

"I don't believe that the Army is being brought into politics, nor will we, as an organisation, come into it. The Indian Army and armed forces are totally apolitical in every direction. However, following the orders of the political leadership does not mean you have become political. There is a difference between these two things," the former Army Chief told IANS.

Stressing the importance of hierarchy, General Naravane said, "If I pass an order to my junior, it is his duty to follow my order. So, as an Army Chief, who is my senior? The Defence Minister. If the Defence Minister passes an order, the Army has to follow it. This doesn't mean the Army has become political."

"The Army is apolitical, but there is a chain of command, and giving respect to that chain of command is the right course of action," he added.

Criticising the attempts to link the armed forces and politics, the former Indian Army Chief said that India's ability to progress compared to neighbouring Pakistan is due to the military being "apolitical".

"Understand the difference -- we are an apolitical Army, and we will remain apolitical. And the attempts being made to drag the military into politics are bad for the country. If we are to move forward, the Army must remain apolitical because you have seen what happens in our neighbouring countries and how far ahead of them we have progressed. And if we have been able to progress so far ahead compared to other neighbouring countries, it is because we are apolitical," General Naravane said.

"People can make an issue out of anything; that is their choice. But we have so much self-confidence among ourselves that no matter what anyone says, we are not going to get trapped or caught in that web. We have faith in ourselves. I always used to tell my soldiers to have faith in themselves. Believe in yourself. Believe that we are a very good Army, a good organisation, and whatever actions we take will be for the betterment of the country," he added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
Well said, but let's be honest - there have been instances where politicians tried to use the Army for their own agenda. The chain of command is clear, but we need to ensure no one crosses that line. Good to hear a former chief reinforcing this.
S
Shreya B
This is exactly the kind of clarity we need. Our Army is apolitical by design - it's what makes India stable while other countries fall apart. But we as citizens also need to stop making every issue about politics. The Army deserves our trust, not our suspicion.
N
Nikhil C
General Naravane's response is mature and measured. However, the fact that this question even needs to be asked shows how polarized our discourse has become. Let's not forget - the Army serves the nation, not any party or ideology. Jai Hind! 🙏
R
Rohit P
The comparison with Pakistan is very telling. Countries where military gets involved in politics always suffer. We take our democracy for granted sometimes. General Naravane is absolutely right - following orders from the elected government isn't politics, it's discipline. Hats off to our armed forces! 🫡
K
Kavya N
While I appreciate General Naravane's stance, I think we need to have a broader conversation about how political leaders sometimes parade the Army for photo ops. Actions speak louder than words. That said, his clarification is welcome and necessary.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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