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Indian Army eases social media rules, allows only ‘passive use’ on select platforms

by VARINDIA 2025-12-29

The Indian Army has updated its social media policy, permitting personnel to engage in “passive participation” on select platforms, according to a report by The Hindu. Issued through the Directorate General of Military Intelligence (DGMI), the revised guidelines allow officers to view and monitor content on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and Quora, without actively posting, commenting, or sharing content.

This move aims to keep soldiers informed online while safeguarding national security and preventing inadvertent exposure of sensitive information. Facebook remains completely off-limits for Indian Army personnel under the new rules.

Under the revised policy, personnel are prohibited from any active engagement on Instagram or X, including posting, reacting, messaging, or sharing content. On YouTube and Quora, access is restricted strictly to gaining knowledge or information, with no user-generated uploads allowed.

The guidelines also advise soldiers to avoid visiting unsafe websites, pirated software portals, torrent and VPN services, free movie platforms, chat rooms, file-sharing sites, and to exercise caution when using cloud-based storage.

At the same time, professional use of LinkedIn is permitted, allowing officers to share resumes or explore professional opportunities. Messaging and communication apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Skype are allowed for exchanging “unclassified information of a general nature,” but only with known individuals. The responsibility of verifying recipients rests entirely with the sender, reflecting a focus on operational security.

The update comes after an earlier ban in July 2020, when the Indian Army asked personnel to remove 89 applications from their devices, following the Galwan Valley clash with China. Apps like TikTok, Truecaller, and dating platforms such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble were banned at the time to prevent leakage of sensitive information.

Judicially, the Delhi High Court in August 2020 upheld similar restrictions, noting that the scope for reviewing defence and security measures is limited. The court highlighted that modern warfare extends beyond territorial disputes, encompassing economic, political, and social influence operations. Accordingly, the court stated it would not interfere if the government determined that social media use by defence personnel could advantage hostile nations.

The revised guidelines reflect the Indian Army’s attempt to balance operational security with the need for soldiers to stay informed in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, amid increasing threats from foreign intelligence and sophisticated cyber operations.