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A. Vinod Kumar was Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), and a Visiting Faculty at the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies (IFPS), University of Calcutta, Kolkata. His research interests include nuclear policy issues (including non-proliferation, nuclear energy and deterrence), missile defence and India’s relations with the great powers. Kumar’s first book titled India and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime – The Perennial Outlier was published by the Cambridge University Press in April 2014. He has written extensively in acclaimed publications including Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The National Interest, Strategic Analysis, South Asian Survey, Asia Times, Huffington Post, The Indian Economist and Vayu Aerospace Review, among others. Prior to joining MP-IDSA, Kumar was a journalist with stints in print and audio-visual media platforms and have spearheaded pioneering endeavours in mass communications including the first political public relations campaign in Kerala. He has been a private broadcaster as well as a first generation online journalist and was part of many web ventures, including as Executive Editor of South Asia Monitor – a media diplomacy platform. Kumar was earlier a Fellow at the Indian Pugwash Society. His ongoing study is on the implications of missile defence for nuclear deterrence. Concurrently, he is also spearheading an archival mining effort to trace India’s nuclear and foreign policy history. Kumar is recipient of the Ministry of Defence Madras Medal.
How Can Missile Defences Affect Nuclear Deterrence? An Offence-Defence Theoretical Perspective
How will ballistic missile defences affect nuclear deterrence? This is a question as old as the nuclear revolution but has attained significance in the current security environment wherein nuclear-armed states are increasingly pursuing development and deployment of BMD and their doctrinal integration with strategic forces and postures. Yet, the advent of BMD is bereft of conceptual clarity as their effects on nuclear deterrence is yet to be aptly understood.
Two Decades After 9/11: The Liberal Security Community Lies in Tatters
It may seem premature to discuss the advent of an illiberal global order, however, the numerous catalytic events of recent years and the apparent decline of American heft in shaping global norms and structures might indicate that the international system is on the cusp of a major transformation.
Tackling the Second Wave: Lessons from a Year of COVID-19
Through effective contagion mitigation and disease control strategies, India has managed to confine the COVID-19 to a minuscule section of the population, though at great economic cost.
The Struggle Between Political Idealism and Policy Realism: The Making of India’s Nuclear Policy
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar-IDSA, Mr. A. Vinod Kumar's chapter ‘The Struggle Between Political Idealism and Policy Realism: The Making of India’s Nuclear Policy’ has been published in the edited volume ‘The Interface of Domestic and International Factors in India’s Foreign Policy’, published by Routledge: Taylor and Francis (March 2021).
Realigning America’s Grand Strategy: Biden Will Have His Hands Full
Biden has set an ambitious agenda to reinvigorate US global leadership by pursuing a proactive grand strategy. He will, however, have to reckon with the legacy of Trumpism that has made a significant imprint on American foreign policy.
NPT@50: How India Framed its Decision to Reject the Treaty
India’s decision to reject the NPT was a display of astute statecraft with idealist posturing used to masquerade pursuit of national interests.
In Defence of Non-alignment
The era of non-alignment provides immense insights on how visionary leadership seeking to influence international politics could develop ideational frameworks to propel the grand strategy of their choosing.
China is becoming the new pariah
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Mr. A Vinod Kumar's commentary on China, titled ‘China is becoming the new pariah,’ has been published in ‘The Week’ on June 24, 2020.
Not aggression, but responsibility and compensation was expected of a great power with parentage of a pandemic, the article points out, arguing for a global coalition of democracies to discipline China and rein in its aggression.
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Saving a Billion: How India Confronted the COVID-19
The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the final months of 2019 in China had led to a global pandemic with the disease-causing pathogen, the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2), spreading virulently to almost all habitable land on Earth within a matter of 2-3 months. Even over six months after its first imprint in Wuhan, the pathogen remains unconquerable with over 4 million being infected and more than three lakh people dead.
Virus As Bio-Weapon: Contested Origins of Novel Coronavirus
It might be difficult to prove any weaponisation intent or man-made origins to the SARS-CoV-2. Yet, the mass deaths and disruption caused by the virus forebodes imminent exploitation of biological agents for political ends.