Dr Arvind Gupta was Director General of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) from January 05, 2012 to August 07, 2014.

He holds a PhD in International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and an MSc in Physics from Delhi University. He was a Visiting Member at the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (1974-76) and served at the Oil & Natural Gas Commission (1976) and the State Bank of India (1976-79) before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1979.

After working in the Ministry of External Affairs in different capacities and in diplomatic missions in Moscow, London and Ankara, Dr Gupta retired from the Indian Foreign Service in 2013.

Prior to joining IDSA, he was Joint Secretary at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) from 1999 to 2007. During his tenure at the NSCS, he dealt with a wide range of international and national security issues and participated in various working groups and task forces set up by the NSC. He also worked with the Kargil Review Committee.

At IDSA, before becoming the Director General, Dr Gupta held the Lal Bahadur Shastri Chair (LBSC) for Strategic Studies from 2008 to 2011. He also headed South Asia and Internal Security Centres and edited the Institute’s flagship bi-monthly journal Strategic Analysis. He has represented IDSA at several bilateral dialogues as well as international conferences. He lectures frequently at apex national training institutions and writes in the media on foreign affairs & international security issues.

His areas of interest include international security issues, India’s foreign policy, energy security, climate change, and technology & internal security issues.

Dr Gupta has three books, several edited books and a number of academic publications to his credit. He has been a member of several task forces on issues such as space security, climate change, cyber security, nuclear disarmament, etc.

Publications at IDSA [+]

Book Authored

• Dictionary Of New Scientific And Technical Terms, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Limited, 1997
• At The Cutting Edge, New Age International Pub. (P) Limited, 1996.

Books Edited

• Space Security: Need for Global Convergence, Pentagon Press, 2012.
• India in a Changing Global Nuclear Order, Academic Foundation, 2009.
• Important Documents on Security and Diplomacy, Manas Publications, 2005

Chapter in Books

• “India Africa Relations in the Changing Geopolitical Environment”, India and Africa: Enhancing Mutual Engagement, Pentagon Press, 2013.
• “South Asia in India’s National Security Strategy”, Grand Strategy for India 2020 and Beyond, Pentagon Security International, 2012.
•  “Trends in Indian Foreign Policy”, Four Decades of India Bangladesh Relations: Historical Imperatives and Future Direction, 2012.
• “Need for a Space Security Policy for India”,  Space Security: Need for Global Convergence, 2012.
• “India’s Experience in Dealing with Terrorism” The Terror Challenge In South Asia and Prospect of Regional Cooperation, 2011.
• “South Asia in the Next Decade: A Futuristic Perspective”, South Asia: Envisioning a Regional Future, 2010 
• “Emerging Trends in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Implications for Regional Security”, India-Russia Strategic Partnership: Common Perspectives, 2010.
• “Climate Change and Security: Exploring the Link”, Security Implications of Climate Change for India, 2009.
• “Reshaping India-Iran Relations: The Way Ahead” International and Regional Security Dynamics: Indian and Iranian Perspectives, 2009.
• “Crisis in the NPT, Counter-Proliferation Regimes and India’s Approach”, India in a Changing Global Nuclear Order, 2009.

Member of Task Force Reports

• Deliberations of a Working Group on Military and Diplomacy
• India-Bangladesh Relations: Towards Convergence
• Pakistan Occupied Kashmir : Changing the Discourse
• Water Security for India: The External Dynamics
• Whither Pakistan? Growing Instability and Implications for India
• Nuclear Disarmament A Way Forward

Writings in Strategic Analysis

• India's Foreign Policy: Coping with the Changing World by Muchkund Dubey
• Will the Indus Water Treaty Survive?
• Does India Have a Neighbourhood Policy?
• K. Subrahmanyam and the IDSA
• India–Pakistan Relations After the Mumbai Terror Attacks: What Should India Do?

Articles in Media

• Need for Modern Arthashastra, The New Indian Express, April 14, 2014
• Foreign Policy Must Be Bolder, The New Indian Express, January 3, 2014
• Build identity in Indian ocean, The New Indian Express, November 13, 2013
• Norms needed for cyber security, The New Indian Express, September 27, 2013
• India's gains from Arctic Council, The New Indian Express, July 31, 2013
• Politics of moderation in Iran, The New Indian Express, June 18, 2013
• Steering Indo-Japan ties, The New Indian Express, May 27, 2013
• Take cyber attacks seriously, The New Indian Express, April 17, 2013
• Strong ties with Taiwan, The New Indian Express, January 30, 2013
• Trust gap with Colombo, The New Indian Express, December 14, 2012
• Challenges Syria poses, The New Indian Express, October 7, 2012
• India flounders at NAM, The New Indian Express, September 6, 2012
• MEA Role in Energy Security, The New Indian Express, August 2, 2012
• Importance of Arctic Region, The New Indian Express, June 28, 2012
• Bolster ties with Myanmar, The New Indian Express, May 25, 2012.
• Putin’s vision for Russia, The New Indian Express, May 14, 2012.
• Positive vibes with Dhaka, The New Indian Express, April 18, 2012.
• Resource crunch at MEA, The New Indian Express, March 27, 2012.
• India-Israel Relations: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship, The Jeruslam Post, January 9, 2012.

Addresses / Remarks

• Welcome Address at International Seminar on Kautilya’s Arthashastra, April 9, 2014
• Welcome Address at the International Conference on A Nuclear Weapon Free World: From Conception to Reality, April 2-3, 2014
• Welcome remarks at the 16th Asian Security Conference, February 19, 2014
• Welcome remarks by Dr. Arvind Gupta, Director General, IDSA at the 7th Annual South Asia Conference, October 30, 2013
• Welcome address at the National Seminar on "Developing Indigenous Concepts and Vocabulary: Kautilya’s Arthasastra" at IDSA on October 8, 2013
• Welcome Address at the Launch of IDSA Publication, ‘The Islamist Challenge in West Asia: Doctrinal and Political Competitions after the Arab Spring’ by Shri Talmiz Ahmad on 5th September 2013
• Welcome remarks at the Cabinet Secretary’s talk on “Rescue Operations in Uttarakhand’, 19th July 2013
• Welecome Remarks at Fourth IDSA-BIISS Dialogue, July 3, 2013
• Welcome Remarks at the talk by the Chief of the Naval Staff at the IDSA, March 5, 2013
• Welcome remarks at the 15th Asian Security Conference, February 13, 2013
• Welcome remarks at the 9th IDSA-IPIS Dialogue, December 12, 2012
• Inaugural Address at IDSA-PRIO Workshop on Global Governance and Resource Use: The Case of the Arctic, 19 November 2012
• Welcome Address at the 48th Foundation Day of the IDSA, 10 November 2012
• Welcome remarks at 6th South Asia Conference 6th-7th November 2012
• Welcome remarks at Conference on "Security Issues in Latin America: Experience of UNASUR", October 29, 2012
• Opening remarks at Workshop on Kautilya
• Opening remarks at the Seminar "Early Years of Nuclear Cooperation and Non-Proliferation: A Dialogue on Nuclear Historicities"
• Welcome remarks at book release "India’s Neighbourhood Challenges in the Next Two Decades"
• Opening Remarks at the 14th ASC

Papers / Talks outside IDSA

• Talk on "A Space Security Policy for India" at Western Naval Command, Mumbai on 2 September 2013
• Keynote Address delivered at National Seminar on “Federalism, Foreign Policy and Border States: Dynamics from North East States of India” at Sikkim University, 22-23 March 2013
• Keynote address at the National Seminar on "India’s Non-Traditional Security Challenges" organised by Punjabi University, Patiala, 22nd-23rd February 2013
• Paper presented on "Careers Beyond Academia: Role of Think Tanks" at Annual Convention of Indian Association of International Studies, December 10, 2012
• Key Note Address at Indian Ocean Global Forum 2012, Plenary Session - Indian Ocean Rim Potential for Partnerships, September 25, 2012
• "IDSA and Public Diplomacy", Speech at Conference of Heads of Missions, New Delhi, September 16, 2012
• "Myanmar’s critical role in bolstering India’s Look East Policy", International Conference on Myanmar: Bridging South & Southeast Asia” by Jamia Milia Islamia, January 30, 2012
• "India-Japan Strategic Partnership: Prospects and Challenges", ICRIER Seminar on India Japan Relations, February 28, 2012.
• "Global Security and the Role of Ethics and Values", World Academy of Art and Science, October 2008.