The Indian Defense Ministry, which has been taking a strict stance on the use of Instagram by Indian soldiers, has recently relaxed these rules. It is reported that from now on, soldiers and military officers have been allowed to view Instagram. Several English media outlets have reported this, quoting sources in the Defense Ministry. However, it seems that some conditions have been imposed even though the use of Instagram has been allowed.
Media reports said that Army Headquarters has sent guidelines to all military units regarding the latest amendments. It is learnt that the guidelines include strict restrictions such as soldiers using Instagram only for information purposes and not posting, commenting, sharing or reacting to messages. This means that soldiers can view Instagram but are not allowed to respond to it. The same rules are currently in force for other media such as Facebook, YouTube and X.
It is reported that the guidelines of the Ministry of Defense have stated that if there are misleading posts or fake information on their accounts, they should immediately bring them to the attention of senior officials. The soldiers have been warned once again not to use VPNs, fake websites, web proxies, etc. under any circumstances. It is learned that these guidelines have stated that soldiers should strike a balance between digital awareness and national security. The Defense Ministry has said that it will periodically review the use of social media by soldiers, according to media reports.
