Books
- Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India’s Global Ambition [New Delhi: Penguin, 2018, September]
- Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet) [New Delhi: Oxford University Press Global, 2015]
- Strategic Sellout: Indian-U.S. Nuclear Deal co-authored with P.K. Iyengar, A.N. Prasad, and A. Gopalakrishnan [New Delhi: Pentagon Press, 2009]
- India’s Nuclear Policy [Westport, CN, & London: Praeger Security International, 2008; South Asian edition published by Pentagon Press, 2009]
- Nuclear Weapons & Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy, 2nd edition [New Delhi, etc: Macmillan India, 2005]
- Nuclear Weapons & Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy [New Delhi, etc: Macmillan India, 2002]
- Future Imperilled: India’s Security in the 1990s and Beyond [New Delhi: Viking Penguin, 1994], author-editor
Most of the books are available at the usual sites, such as, www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com, and all of the above books are available at http://www.flipkart.com www.vedamsbooks.in (which has a comprehensive listing of Indian and foreign book sellers).
Chapters in international and national anthologies:
- ‘Shifting the Nuclear Security Focus to China’ in Lt. Gen. A.K. Singh and Lt. Gen, B.S. Nagal, eds., Military Strategy for India in the 21st Century [New Delhi: Centre for Land Warfare Studies and KW Publishers Pvt Ltd., 2019], 225-248.
- ‘The Verities of Afghanistan and India’s Options’ in P.M. Kamath, ed., American Withdrawal from Afghanistan [New Delhi: VPM’s Centre for International Studies, Indian Council for World Affairs, & Gyan Publishing House, 2016]
- ‘An Elephant with a Small “Footprint”: The Realist Roots of India’s Strategic Thought and Policies’ in Kanti Bajpai, Saira Basit, and V. Krishnappa, eds., India’s Grand Strategy: History, Theory, Cases [Abingdon, UK, and New Delhi: Routledge, 2014], 200-233.
- ‘Scaring up Scenarios: An Introduction’ in Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd) and Monika Chonsoria, eds., Pakistan’s Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Conflict Redux [Centre for Land Warfare Studies and KW Publishers Pvt Ltd., 2014], 1-18.
- ‘The Cultural Context of Moralpolitik: The Traditional Indian Statecraft, Mahatma Gandhi and the Atom Bomb’ in Kanti J. Bajpai and Harsh V. Pant, eds., India’s National Security: A Reader [New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2013],
- ‘Strategic and Nuclear Balancing of China in the Asia-Pacific’ in Major General ( Retd) Y.K. Gera, ed., Peace and Stability in Asia-Pacific Region: Assessment of the Security Architecture [New Delhi: USI and Vij Books, 2012], 54-67.
- ‘Pre-empting and Preventing Nuclear Terrorism’ in Maroof Raza, ed., Confronting Terrorism [New Delhi: Viking-Penguin, 2009], 154-178.
- ‘Security and Sovereignty’ in Hans Gunter Brauch, Ursula Oswald Spring, P.H. Liotta, et al, eds., Globalization and Environmental Challenges: Reconceptualizing Security in the 21st Century , Vol. 3/Hexagon Series on Human and Environmental Security and Peace [Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Verlag Springer, 2008], pp. 421-430.
- ‘South Asia: The Irrelevance of Classical Nuclear Deterrence Theory’ in E. Sridharan ed., The India-Pakistan Nuclear Relationship: Theories of Deterrence and International Relations [New Delhi & Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2007], pp. 83-128
- ‘The India-United States Rapprochement, the Nuclear Deal, and Indian National Interest’ in Prakash Nanda, ed., Rising India: Friends and Foes [New Delhi & Olympia Fields, IL: Lancer, 2007], pp. 229-263.
- ‘Vision, Conviction, Strategy, and Will: The Four Deficits in India’s Foreign-Military Policy’ in Manmohan Malhoutra, ed., India: The Next Decade [New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust and Academic Foundation, 2006], 493-500.
- ‘Shaping the Indian Special Forces into a Strategic Asset’ in Lt. Gen. Vijai Oberoi, ed., Special Forces: Doctrine, Structures and Employment Acros the Spectrum of Conflict in the Indian Context [Centre for Land Warfare Studies & Knowledge World, 2006], pp. 235-248
- ‘The Indian Nuclear Paradigm’ in Imtiaz Alam, ed., Security and Nuclear Stabilisation in South Asia, Sapana: South Asian Studies, Volume VII [Lahore: Free Media Foundation, 2006], pp.104-129.
- ‘Minorities, Terrorism, and Democratic Politics’ in Current Domestic Policy Challenges and Prospects for South Asia [Islamabad: Institute of Regional Studies, 2006], pp 145-170
- ‘Firming up the Critical Capability Triad: Strategic Muscle, Sub-Conventional Punch, and IT-enabled Network Centricity and Electro-Magnetic Warfare Clout’ in Lt. Gen. Vijai Oberoi, ed., Army 2020: Shape, Size, Structure and General Doctrine for Emerging Challenges [ Centre for Land Warfare Studies and Knowledge World, 2005], pp. 235-254.
- ‘India’s Future Plans and Defence Requirements’ in N.S. Sisodia & C. Uday Bhaskar eds., Emerging India: Security and Foreign Policy Perspectives [ New Delhi: Institute for Defence Studies & Aanlyses & Promilla & Co., Publishers, 2005], pp. 61-76.
- ‘Demilitarization of LoC: Negative Strategic Ramifications’ in P.M. Kamath, ed., India-Pakistan Relations: Courting Peace from the Corridors of War [New Delhi: VPM’s Centre for International Studies, Mumbai, & Romilla & Co., 2005], pp.269-277.
- ‘Deconstructing the Indian Nuclear Doctrine’ in Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema and Imtiaz H. Bokhari, eds., Arms Race and Nuclear Developments in South Asia [Islamabad: Islamabad Policy Research Institute, 2004], pp.60-70
- ‘India’s Force Planning Imperative: The Thermonuclear Option’ in D.R. Sardesai & Raju G. C. Thomas, eds., Nuclear India in the Twenty-First Century [New York: Palgrave, 2002], pp. 105-138.
- ‘India’s Place in the World: Democratic Peace, Raison d’etat, and Cooperative Security’ in M.L. Sondhi, ed., Democratic Peace: The Foreign Policy Implications [New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research & Har-Ananad Publications, 2000], pp.11-50.
- ‘India’s Posture’ in M.L. Sondhi, ed., Nuclear Weapons and India’s National Security [New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research & Har-Anand Publications, 2000], pp. 111-113.
- ‘A Thermonuclear Deterrent’ in Amitabh Mattoo, ed., India’s Nuclear Deterrent: Pokhran II and Beyond [New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications, 1999], pp. 108-149.
Security Wise 
Sir,your writings and books should also be in hindi for easeness of readers like us.kindly think about it.
Look, I have offered my books to several Hindi Publishers, such as Prabhat, but nothing happened.
Sir there is a publication “Garudaprakashan” . They may print your books or even translate it. They are doing well , they are also willing to write computer programming books in Hindi medium.I am fan of you sir , when i watch two videos on Diffensive offense. Salute you sir, you have great passion . Love you sir. You may contact him via these addresses -> http://www.garudabooks.com
Mr. Karnad, I am from Mumbai and your books are incredibly hard to obtain, can you suggest a good publisher to contact for obtaining your books in Mumbai or contact details of your sales and shipping agents in Delhi
Karnik@ – Just checked, you can find on Amazon.in three of my books — Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security, revised edition (2005) [Macmillan], Why India is Not a great Power (Yet) (2015) [Oxford University Press], and Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India’s Global Ambition [Penguin-Viking] – 2018
Sir Amazon is presently selling Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security for 10k. Quite out of reach for most of us.
Do however accept my sincere thanks for your continued contribution to our society.
Don’t lose heart! Hope to publish an updated edition of ‘Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security’.
Sir, a request: please translate into Hindi all the books you have written. Because a large number of Hindi language students do not know of your very good books. please sir.
Sonu@ — Thank you for your interest. I have offered my book for translation to major Hindi language publishers. But the trouble is the English language publishers and their Hindi language counterparts have not been able to agree on commercial terms. Sorry, but I cannot do much about it.
but the large number of students like me and others.we have waiting sach knowledgeable book in hindi language and very curious to these books are own launguage.you are great defence thinker and the government should be provide these books are national language . Also publication should rethink and publish the book in hindi language. Your video I have seen in difence offence and vaad YouTube channel.and you and ikbal chandra Malhotra is my febrete gest. i hope all your book in available in hindi language in soon good luck sir i have waiting for this.
Respected Professor any idea when will you release nuclear weapons and Indian security updated edition.Really looking forward for that book
currently it is a little bit costly on amazon.
It would be really appreciated if you specify a rough timeline
I have high regards for you
And Thank you for speaking up the hard facts
Sometime in 2025, I reckon.
Greetings professor
if nuclear weapons and Indian security goes out of stock on amazon as i think only the last copy remains will there be more stock coming or a new edition coming or will it completely go out of print. My main concern is in future will the copies of the book be available as i am currently reading remaining books of your and would read this one in the last don’t want to miss out this one.
@BharatKarnad
professor this comment is regarding nuclear weapons and indian security(2005) curious to know
i just checked on amazon is it you who set the price for the book or the publisher in this case laxmi/Macmillan sets it
Authors have nothing to do with book price tags
ohk and is there any significant difference between the 1sta nd 2nd edition like what have you added in the 2nd edition
Updated to early years of the Manmohan Singh era.
@BharatKarnad
sir any updates or development regarding the ebook/Kindle versions of future imperilled and strategic sellout because both the books are not available anywhere(specially future imperilled)and I am now really fed up and tired after searching for these books in delhi book stores and daryaganj book market continuously.
please help professor if you could make these two books available online as they are old now and cannot be found easily.I am sure you must be having hard copies of them
futuristic@ — Sorry, I don’t know what to say. Both these books are out print. Will talk to publisher of Sellout to put it on Kindle.
Sure sir and please don’t forget to talk to viking/penguin for future imperilled too.
Also professor can we expect a new book in 2025? Is it complete looking forward to it
thank you
Yes, next book in 2025 (fingers crossed!)
@BharatKarnad
sir can you please who all contributed in writing future imperilled. Who were the other writers except you
The others who provided chapters to the compilation — KPS Gill, Generals K. Sundarji and Khalid Arif (Pak army), K Subrahmanyam, AP Venkateswaran (ex-Foreign Sec), US Senator Larry Pressler, Dov Zakheim (Comptroller, Pentagon), Vice Admiral KK Nayyar, Ravi Rikhye, Pushpindar Singh
@BharatKarnad
professor my query might be silly but please what is the first book that you wrote here in the publication section it shows future imperilled whereas in your YouTube interviews which I was watching you recommend nuclear weapons and Indian security to the readers and referred it as your first book and the bible
Future Imperilled was my first book, with a lead chapter by me that I edited. Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security was the first book I authored
Professor unfortunately i am not able to find future Imperilled anywhere but is there any book which resembles future imperilled
You know i am really desperate to read it. Please if there is a alternate book that you can suggest from your reading list
No
@BharatKarnad
professor any final updates regarding your new title eagerly waiting for it
can we expect it in January???
Alas, no.
well that’s ok i hope it is near completion and we get it by the end of 2025
@BharatKarnad
professor where can we read the 10th finance commission report and your recommended policies is there any book or document that contains that
is it still classified even in 2024??
Yes!
@BharatKarnad
Greetings Professor is your new title ready eagerly waiting for it
just completed nuclear weapons and Indian security 2002 and I am speechless I must say that the book indeed is a Bible for our SFC.
can we expect your new title by mid 2025??
Thanks. Let’s see!
@Prof Karnad.
Any updates yet? Still waiting.
And is it a new version of Nuclear Weapons & Indian Security?
Any clues as to what flavor the book will take?
Hate to keep everyone waiting.LoL! But the book I am presently writing — and in the end stages, is on a different topic.
Incidentally, per public demand, hope to update and re-issue my ‘Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security’ for a new generation
of readers.
@BharatKarnad
please take your time professor
eagerly waiting for the new title and a updated edition of nuclear weapons and indian security though i got the 2002 book from a new delhi book store just 3 months ago but would like to read the updated edition again
Also a request if you could do something about future imperilled and strategic sellout too
i think it is important for the indian audience to know about the nuclear deal specially jaishankar’s involvment in it
both are are out of stock i have searched nearly every big main bookshops in Delhi but couldn’t find a copy
if you could make these books available as online pdf’s as staggering forward is also available on amazon kindle as pdf it would be really appreciated
@BharatKarnad
professor any updates regarding your planned upto date edition of nuclear weapons and Indian security that you have planned for a new generation of readers
Sorry, no updates!
@BharatKarnad
professor karnad a little bit off topic discussion but please bear me
In the 2002 book you talked about nuclear and deterrence, 2015 and 1994 book about geopolitics and nation’s ambitions in 2018 book your main theme was foreign policy and decisions of Mr modi
Well what’s the theme for your upcoming title if you could give a few hints about it as it’s near completion i am not asking to tell everything just a few lines about the main crux . Actually just completed why india is not a great power yet and nuclear weapons and indian security so would love to know what is their in the next title. I lack patience so couldn’t resist asking this from the author himself
Could we extend the suspense a bit longer?!
@BharatKarnad
professor karnad i may sound a little bit impatient but any updates on the new upcoming title
can we expect it before diwali
Unlikely by Diwali.
@BharatKarnad
Professor Karnad
Sir, are there any updates on the upcoming title? I’ve been waiting for it for the past year. Looking forward to it Specially after completing why india is not a great power yet.
Do you think we might get it by the first quarter of the new year? I would really appreciate any information or rough timeline you can share with the audiences on this blog.
“the first quarter of the new year” — will finish the manuscript by then, hopefully.