SPARSH Portal Poses Phishing, Error Risks for Defence Pensioners

The SPARSH portal, the government's online system for defence pension administration, gives pensioners a way to check payments, life certificates, and entitlements. But the same platform that simplifies access also creates a new set of risks: phishing scams, credential theft, and data errors that can delay or misdirect payments, according to the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) and pensioner support groups.

The portal, launched for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Defence Civilians, handles pension sanction and disbursement. Pensioners who log in through the official site at sparsh.defence.gov.in can view their basic pension, disability element, gratuity, commutation, and dearness relief. But the CGDA warns that unofficial links sent via SMS or email are a common attack vector. “Pensioners should only access the portal through the official URL or the SPARSH mobile app,” a CGDA spokesperson said. “Any request for login credentials outside the portal is a red flag.”

Once logged in, the dashboard displays pension payment orders (PPO) and account information. Pensioners are advised to check each figure against their pension papers. Discrepancies in the basic pension, the disability element, or the gratuity are not uncommon, according to defence pensioner forums. “I found a miscalculation in the dearness relief amount last quarter,” said retired Major S. K. Sharma, a Delhi-based pensioner. “The SPARSH helpdesk corrected it after I raised a ticket, but it took two weeks.”