R. Vignesh

Dr. R. Vignesh is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Military Affairs, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). He joined the Institute in August 2021 and specialises in the geopolitical dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region, with a particular focus on their implications for India’s national security and the broader security architecture of South Asia.

He holds a Master of Arts and an M.Phil. in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras and has qualified the UGC-NET in the same discipline. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Research Fellowship by the History Division of the Ministry of Defence to pursue doctoral research on the topic: “New Gunboat Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific and its Implications for India’s Maritime Security.” He received his Ph.D. from the University of Madras in January 2022.

Before joining MP-IDSA, Dr. Vignesh served as a Lecturer in the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras. He has also contributed to national curriculum development as a lesson writer for the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), preparing educational content for senior secondary-level textbooks in Military History and Military Studies.

Selected Publications

  1. Sujan Chinoy, R. Vignesh, and Mayuri Banerjee (Eds.). India and the Emerging World Order. New Delhi: Pentagon Press, 2025.
  2. Vignesh (2025). “India: Navigating Great Power Competition.” In Sujan Chinoy, R. Vignesh, and Mayuri Banerjee (Eds.), India and the Emerging World Order (pp. 30–50). New Delhi: Pentagon Press.
  3. Vignesh (2024). “Maritime Theatre of the Ukraine War.” In Sujan Chinoy, Abhay Kumar Singh, and Vivek Chadha (Eds.), Ukraine War: Military Perspectives and Strategic Reflections (pp. 159–183). New Delhi: Pentagon Press.
  4. Vignesh (2023). “The Vanguard Brigade: An Appraisal of the United Nations’ Rapid Deployment Capabilities.” India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 79(3). Sage Publications.
  5. Vignesh (2023). “Colombo Port City and its Implications for India’s Maritime Security.” In S. Utham Kumar Jamdhagni (Ed.), India’s Blue Pulse: Preparing for a Maritime Future (pp. 126–136). New Delhi: Vij Books India.
  6. Vignesh (2022). “The China Factor in Africa’s Path to Liberal Democracy.” Africa Review, 15(1). Brill.
  7. Vignesh (2018). “Gunboat Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.” Journal of Indian Ocean Studies, 26(2).
  8. Vignesh (2018). “Gunboat Diplomacy in the South China Sea and its Implications for Regional Security.” In G. Jayachandra Reddy (Ed.), South China Sea: Emerging Scenario (pp. 195–209). New Delhi: Pentagon Press.
  9. Vignesh (2017). “Sustainable Development and Climate Change: A South Asian Perspective.” In S. Manivasakan (Ed.), India’s March Towards Development – 2030: Issues and Challenges (pp. 29–35). Chennai: University of Madras.
  10. Vignesh (2014). “Women in Armed Forces.” In S. Sakthi, A. Bhanu Gayatri Devi, S. Kalavathi, and A. Vennila (Eds.), Woman Power and Social Change (pp. 191–194). Chennai: Queen Mary’s College.
Associate Fellow

Publication

Regulating the Use of Force by United Nations Peace Support Operations: Balancing Promises and Outcomes by Charuka Ekanayake

The United Nations Peace Support Operations (PSOs), originally envisaged for simple missions like monitoring ceasefires and facilitating negotiations during international armed conflicts, underwent a massive transformation after the end of the Cold War when the UN found itself involved in complex military operations embedded in violent intra-state conflicts. As civilians are increasingly subjected to brutality and atrocity in such conflicts, the use of force by the UN has become necessary for fulfilling its mandate for Protection of Civilians (POC) and Responsible to Protect (R2P).