Subhechcha Ganguly 
A confidential blue-bound manual, known as the Union War Book, has taken center stage in India’s top bureaucratic circles amid rising tensions and preparedness drills. Though the origins of the war book trace back to colonial times, its most recent edition — a 2010 version — is now being widely referenced by key government officials.
This over-200-page government document, updated approximately every 15 years, outlines the precise roles and responsibilities of various arms of government in the event of armed conflict. It is not available to the public, and even those who helped prepare and annually update it — officials from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Cabinet Secretariat — remain tight-lipped about its custodianship.
Hindustan Times has learned that each state’s chief secretary holds a copy, along with select Union ministries. “It’s essentially a guidebook for emergency protocol — from fire drills to evacuations — ensuring there’s no ambiguity in who does what during wartime,” said one senior bureaucrat on condition of anonymity.
The current edition, finalized in 2010, was compiled two years after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 174 lives. Then Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, who oversaw its development, declined to comment when contacted.
Despite its classified status, the war book has recently been referenced in official communications. Following a closed-door meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a statement issued by his office in Marathi noted: “Study the central government’s Union War Book and inform all concerned departments accordingly.”
Given the rapidly evolving nature of warfare, concerns have been raised about the relevance of a 15-year-old manual in dealing with modern threats like drone warfare, cyberattacks, and disinformation. Addressing these concerns, an official explained that while a comprehensive revision is carried out every 15 years, updates are added annually through notes from the three core ministries, which are then appended to the original copy.
Still, officials say that the book’s foundational advice — including reliance on radio, torches, and other old-school tools — remains invaluable, especially if digital communication systems are compromised during conflict.
For now, those who have dusted off the Union War Book in recent days are hoping they’ll soon be able to return it to its locked shelf — unused, but ready.
