A few weeks ago, the unpublished memoir by former Chief of the Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane, titled 'Four Stars of Destiny', stirred a controversy when one of the chapters in the book about the 2020 India-China conflict seemed to suggest that the political leadership left the decision to counter the Chinese aggression completely to the armed forces.
The account of the the standoff suggests Naravane urgently sought clear orders from top leadership, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Ajit Doval, as Chinese forces advanced in eastern Ladakh. Despite the deteriorating situation and readiness of the Indian Army to respond with artillery, he claims he did not receive explicit approval to open fire.
According to the article, the defence minister promised to call back after Naravane's third call to him. Singh called back after speaking to the prime minister, whose instruction was merely “Jo uchit samjho, woh karo,” leaving the decision to the military. This was to be “purely a military decision,” according to the article.
Finally, Naravane has come out with a clear clarification on the meaning behind the remark "jo uchit samjho, woh karo" by PM Modi, saying it showed the "total faith" of the government in the armed forces.
In an exclusive interview with a media house, he said the armed forces were given a "free hand" to deal with the situation on the ground and added that there should be no politics on the subject.
"It basically shows the great confidence the government had in the army, its hierarchy, and the service chiefs. They knew that whatever decision was taken would be made while keeping all factors in mind," he was quoted as saying.