M.V. Ramana conducts interdisciplinary and technical research on various issues related to nuclear disarmament and peace. He is currently working on topics related to the economics and environmental impacts of nuclear energy in India. More broadly, his research and teaching interests lie in exploring various aspects of the relationship between science, technology and development. He is the author of
Prisoner of the Nuclear Dream and of a study of the effects of a nuclear attack on a South Asian city, titled "Bombing Bombay? Effects of Nuclear Weapons and a Case Study of a Hypothetical Explosion."