July 09, 2020: The Indian Army has asked all its officers and soldiers to delete their Facebook and Instagram accounts and also uninstall 89 apps from their smartphones by July 15.

As per reports, citing security considerations and risk of leakage of sensitive data - the said order has been given.  The Indian Army said that those who do not follow the order will face strict action. 

A tweet from news agency ANI includes a photograph of a page with the list of the apps, and the title, 'Social Media Apps: Banned for Usage'. It quotes Army sources to say that the ban is to plug leakage of information.

It may be stated that before this, the Army allowed its personnel to use Facebook but with restrictions like not posting pictures in uniform or disclosing the location of their units, according to a report by Times of India. Before this, the Army allowed its personnel to use Facebook but with restrictions like not posting pictures in uniform or disclosing the location of their units. 

The fresh Army directive, taken to ensure the security of classified information in the larger national interest, comes after the Navy also banned the use of Facebook for all its personnel, while also directing them not to carry smart mobile phones into bases and dockyards as well as on board warships, in December last year.

In the recent years, there have been several incidents where Pakistan agents posing as women have reportedly honey-trapped Indian military personnel into divulging classified information.