The Centre for Publications & Library (CP&L) at the United Service Institution of India (USI) plays a pivotal role in sustaining the Institution’s reputation as one of the country’s leading think tanks in the fields of strategic and defence studies. Its origins can be traced to the launch of the Journal of the United Service Institution of India in 1871, one of the oldest continuously published military journals in the world. Since its inception, the section has been responsible for curating, editing, and publishing high-quality scholarly work, including research articles, policy analyses, and strategic commentaries. Initially intended for British Indian military officers, the journal evolved after independence to serve the intellectual and professional requirements of the Indian Armed Forces and the wider strategic community, covering subjects such as national security, military history, defence strategy, and international relations.

After 1947, the CP&L expanded its scope to address contemporary strategic and security concerns relevant to India. It has played an important role in documenting India’s wars, counter-insurgency operations, and peacekeeping missions, thereby preserving institutional memory and operational lessons for future generations. Over time, the section diversified its publications to include monographs, occasional papers, edited volumes, and books, in addition to the flagship journal. These publications are produced through a rigorous editorial and peer-review process to ensure high academic and professional standards.

A significant milestone in the Institution’s publication programme was the launch of the Strategic Year Book in 2016, which provides comprehensive assessments of India’s strategic environment and evolving global security trends. The section also collaborates with professional military education institutions and academic experts to produce specialised publications on warfare, military thought, and strategic affairs. Through its diverse range of publications, the CP&L continues to contribute meaningfully to the national discourse on defence and security, strengthening USI’s long-standing legacy as a centre for military scholarship and strategic analysis.

In addition to publications, the Section is also responsible for the management and development of the USI Library, one of the premier repositories of defence and military literature in India. The library supports research, scholarship, and professional military education by maintaining an extensive collection of books, journals, archival material, and reference resources related to defence, military history, strategic studies, and international relations. The section oversees cataloguing, preservation of rare material, acquisition of new publications, and facilitation of research for scholars, military officers, and members of the strategic community.

Since the publication of the first journal in 1871, the editorial responsibilities at USI were overseen by the Deputy Director and Editor. This organisational structure remained in place until 2020, when the designation was revised to Head, Editorial Team, and the appointment of Deputy Director was separated from editorial responsibilities. Subsequently, from 2021 onwards, the position has been redefined as Director, Editorial, reflecting the expanded scope and strategic importance of the Institution’s publication and research activities. The same has since been redesignated as Director, Centre for Publications and Library.

Aim

To manage and oversee the publication programmes and the library of the United Service Institution of India in order to promote scholarship, research, and informed discourse on defence and strategic studies.

Objectives

• To publish the USI Journal, Strategic Year Book, occasional papers, monographs, and other scholarly works.
• To collaborate with academic experts and practitioners for the publication of books and specialised research studies.
• To coordinate publication initiatives with professional military institutions, universities, and research organisations.
• To curate and disseminate research and analytical work related to defence, military history, and strategic affairs.
• To manage and develop the USI Library, including acquisition, cataloguing, preservation, and facilitation of research resources.
• To support scholars, officers, and researchers through access to archival material, reference services, and specialised defence literature.
• To organise and conduct the USI Gold Medal Essay Competition and the US Chief of Air Staff Essay Competition in order to promote strategic writing and scholarship among professionals and students.

Contact us

Mail ID: direditorial@usiofindia.org

Telephone: +91-11-20862315