KW Publishers

What KW Publishers does

KW Publishers Pvt. Ltd. is a privately held, Delhi-headquartered (Darya Ganj) academic book publisher operating the kwpub.in e-commerce storefront and selling through the Amazon India marketplace for e-books. The company is built around a focused catalogue of more than 500 titles in Defence Studies, International Relations, Political Science, and adjacent strategic-affairs subjects, contributed by retired military officers, diplomats, academics, and policy practitioners.

Its product surface spans physical hardcover and paperback books (priced roughly Rs. 300 to Rs. 2,200), e-books via Amazon, occasional papers under the IFPS/CPWAS series, monographs, and three recurring scholarly journals (Air Power, Blue Yonder, Defence and Diplomacy) published on behalf of partner institutions. Underlying technology is a standard e-commerce website with no proprietary platform, AI features, or app presence; all distribution and engagement runs through the storefront, Amazon, and social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram).

The business runs on a one-time-purchase revenue model across individuals and institutional buyers — academic institutions, defence and government bodies, students, and general readers — with recurring revenue limited to the quarterly Air Power journal and biannual Blue Yonder journal. Core partnerships (CAPS, Forum for National Security Studies, IFPS/CPWAS, Georgetown University Press representation) provide editorial pipeline and distribution reach rather than co-investment. Leadership is Kalpana Shukla as Publisher and Sanjeev Kumar as General Manager; no external investors, parent entities, M&A, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

KW Publishers

Legal name

KW Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://kwpub.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KW Publishers is a Delhi-based academic publisher specializing in defence studies, international relations, and political science books, monographs, and scholarly journals for academic institutions, government/defence bodies, researchers, and students, with distribution through its own website and Amazon India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic & Scholarly Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA), Business, Economics & Management Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAF)

Keywords

• Academic book publishing
• Defence studies publishing
• International relations books
• Strategic affairs journals
• Scholarly publications

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: Sale of physical hardcover and paperback books across various subjects including political science, defence studies, international relations, history, and general topics. Books are sold directly through the company website and potentially through retail channels.
2. E-Book Sales: Digital e-book versions of selected titles sold through Amazon India marketplace. One-time purchase model for digital content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KW Publishers is an academic and trade book publisher specializing in defence studies, international relations, political science, and strategic affairs. The company publishes physical hardcover and paperback books, e-books distributed via Amazon India, occasional papers under the IFPS/CPWAS series, monographs, and three scholarly journals (Air Power, Defence and Diplomacy, Blue Yonder) in partnership with think tanks such as the Centre for Air Power Studies. It also represents Georgetown University Press in India.

Product overview

KW Publishers is an academic and trade book publisher specialising in defence studies, political science, international relations, and strategic affairs. The company offers a portfolio of physical books (hardcover and paperback), e-books distributed via Amazon, occasional papers and monographs under the IFPS/CPWAS series, and three scholarly journals (Air Power, Defence and Diplomacy, and Blue Yonder) published in partnership with think tanks like the Centre for Air Power Studies. The company also holds representation rights for Georgetown University Press and distributes publications across specialised subject categories including Defence Studies, International Relations, Political Science, and General topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Georgetown University Press: KW Publishers represents Georgetown University Press as a distribution partner for Indian markets

Products and services

• Physical Books (Hardcover & Paperback) Hardcover and paperback academic books covering defence studies, political science, international relations, and strategic studies, published by KW Publishers and its represented partners for academic institutions, defence bodies, students, and general readers.
• E-Books Digital versions of published titles available for one-time purchase on Amazon India, extending access to KW Publishers' academic and strategic studies content in electronic format for individual readers.
• IFPS/CPWAS Occasional Papers Scholarly occasional papers published under the IFPS/CPWAS series covering political, strategic, and international affairs topics for researchers and policy professionals.
• Monographs In-depth research monographs on specialised topics including environmental studies, human rights, and low-intensity conflicts, aimed at researchers and advanced readers.
• Air Power Journal Quarterly scholarly journal published with the Centre for Air Power Studies covering aerospace power, military strategy, and defence analysis for researchers, defence professionals, and policy makers.
• Defence and Diplomacy Journal Scholarly journal covering defence policy, diplomatic relations, and international security studies for academic and policy audiences.
• Blue Yonder Journal Biannual scholarly journal published with the Centre for Air Power Studies focusing on maritime security and blue economy topics for researchers and policy professionals.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Georgetown University PressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeorgetown University Press is represented/distributed by KW Publishers in certain markets. KW Publishers lists Georgetown University Press as a representation on their website.
• Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAPS publishes journals through KW Publishers including Air Power (quarterly) and Blue Yonder (biannual). CAPS is established under Forum for National Security Studies trust registered in 2002.
• Forum for National Security StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKW Publishers publishes journals from the Centre for Air Power Studies established under the Forum for National Security Studies registered trust in 2002.
• IFPS/CPWASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKW Publishers publishes IFPS/CPWAS Occasional Papers series covering political science and international relations topics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Atlantic Publishers and Distributors: Indian academic publisher with coverage of social sciences, politics, history, and IR — comparable regional academic publishing model targeting Indian libraries and universities.
• Manohar Publishers and Distributors: Indian academic publisher with comparable scholarly list covering politics, history, and area studies — competes for similar Indian institutional and library customers on adjacent subject areas.

Broad incumbents

• Oxford University Press India: Major academic and reference publisher in India covering political science, IR, history, and strategic affairs — directly comparable customer base of universities, libraries, and researchers.
• SAGE Publications India: Major academic publisher with a strong India presence across social sciences, IR, and policy — overlaps with KW Publishers in social science scholarship and library/institutional sales channels.
• Routledge (Taylor & Francis): Global academic publisher with extensive catalogues in defence studies, security, IR, and political science — competes for the same library and institutional budgets that KW Publishers targets, but as part of a vastly larger portfolio.
• Cambridge University Press: Global academic press with deep lists in international relations, politics, and strategic studies — competes for institutional procurement budgets and library shelf space in India.

Direct peers

• Vij Books India: Indian academic publisher with strong focus on defence, strategic studies, and international relations — directly comparable in vertical specialization, institutional sales model, and scholarly content positioning.
• Brookings Institution Press: Think-tank affiliated publisher producing scholarly books on foreign policy, defence, and international security — directly comparable in academic authority, scholarly monograph output, and institutional customer base.
• Pentagon Press: Indian publisher specializing in defence, security, and strategic affairs books — directly comparable to KW Publishers in subject-matter niche, customer base (Indian defence institutions, researchers), and B2B/B2C academic publishing model.

Others

• Knowledge World Media (KW Media): Listed as related to KW Publishers through the LinkedIn handle 'knowledge-world'; included as a potentially affiliated or successor entity relevant to understanding the broader KW group structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kw_publishers
• Facebookfacebook.com/kwpublishers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knowledge-world
• Instagraminstagram.com/kwpublishers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KW Publishers