TK Arun

TK Arun

T.K. Arun, ex-Economic Times editor, is a columnist known for incisive analysis of economic and policy matters.

Global Capability Centres: The Brain Drain Under Our Nose

It is welcome that millions of Indian graduates get decent jobs, but they toil to create intellectual property for foreign firms, rather than to strengthen India’s strategic muscle

TK Arun

January 12, 2026 at 9:54 AM IST

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Aravallis: Making a Molehill out of a Mountain

Opinion

When mountains are measured by committees and metres, what’s under threat is not just geology but the idea of environmental protection itself.

TK Arun

January 5, 2026 at 10:38 AM IST

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The Yen Carry Trade, a Piano and Trump’s World View

From the Plaza Accord to the yen carry trade, Japan’s monetary history shaped global finance—and helped forge Trump’s tariff-driven worldview rooted in 1980s economic anxieties.

TK Arun

December 31, 2025 at 7:32 AM IST

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How to and How Not to Privatise Airports

Opinion

When airport privatisation rewards revenue maximisation without cost discipline, passengers end up paying the price through rising fees and opaque regulatory pass-throughs.

TK Arun

December 23, 2025 at 3:24 AM IST

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When Legacy is an Externality for a Commercial Ops, Who Should Pay to Sustain it?

As Annapurna Bhandar of Chandini Chowk faces closure, can Indian cities take a cue from Paris or San Francisco to protect legacy shops?

TK Arun

December 17, 2025 at 1:33 PM IST

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Why Intel’s Chip Deal May Undercut India’s Push for Self-Reliance

China, facing US chip bans, doubled down on indigenous chipmaking—with success. If India leans on Intel instead of investing in homegrown R&D, it could miss its chance to replicate that model.

TK Arun

December 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM IST

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SIM-Binding Necessary Evil, But Govt Must First Win Trust

SIM-binding and mandatory apps signal a push for stronger security—but without transparency and oversight, they could widen the trust deficit.

TK Arun

December 3, 2025 at 3:25 AM IST

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Don’t Censor Content, Make Social Media Platforms Accountable

Opinion

Bringing social media platforms under the same responsibility standards as traditional media can curb harm without curbing speech.

TK Arun

November 28, 2025 at 9:56 AM IST

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The Dangerous Shortcut in India’s Renewable Journey

A rushed battery-led transition stabilises the grid today but imports vulnerabilities tomorrow. India’s missing storage policy is becoming a strategic liability.

TK Arun

November 20, 2025 at 7:51 AM IST

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Why the Swiss Court’s AT1 Ruling Shouldn’t Influence YES Bank Case

AT1 bonds carry the risk of abatement. In order to compensate for this risk, the bonds offer rates of interest higher than regular bonds.

TK Arun

November 13, 2025 at 4:08 AM IST

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Yes, Open Up Ecommerce Inventory to FDI — Just for Export

A wedge has a thin edge for a reason. The export crisis sparked by Trump-era trade shocks is a chance for India to reform e-commerce—starting with allowing inventory for exports.

TK Arun

November 9, 2025 at 5:23 AM IST

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Is a TV Ad by Ontario Costing India a US Trade Deal?

Does a Canadian apology embolden Trump to demand more from India in trade talks?

TK Arun

November 4, 2025 at 4:17 AM IST

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Kremlin

Why This Outrage over LIC Investing in Adani?

Probe the allegations of government-Adani nexus in airport privatisation bids, but why oppose the company getting support from the country’s financial institutions when it was vital.

TK Arun

October 27, 2025 at 4:27 AM IST

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Firecrackers as Class Aggression

The rich make competitive noise, pollute the air, switch on their air purifiers and air conditioners, and leave the less well-off to choke, wheeze and sicken

TK Arun

October 22, 2025 at 3:31 AM IST

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To Fuel the Cloud, India May Have to Dig Deeper into the Ground

India’s data-centre and AI ambitions could strain its clean-energy goals. As power demand surges, coal may quietly keep the digital lights on.

TK Arun

October 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM IST

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Death Syrup: Why Licences Cannot Be Wished Away in All Sectors

The government should mandate traceability of every ingredient used in the pharma industry by deploying tokenisation facilities of the blockchain.

TK Arun

October 8, 2025 at 6:04 AM IST

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Unguarded Lending Won’t Fix Investment Demand

Monetary Policy

RBI holds rates but eases bank lending curbs—IPO, M&A, securities finance. Yet without investment demand or PPP reforms, such a leeway won’t fix growth.

TK Arun

October 2, 2025 at 11:53 AM IST

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Not Just Make in India, Chips Need to be Made by India

Without owning semiconductor IP, India risks dependence. Building and backing its own chips is the real test.

TK Arun

September 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM IST

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Little Impact on IT, But Trump’s H-1B Visa Fee Could Reverse Indian Brain Drain

The new $100,000 H-1B visa fee may cause short-term headaches for Indian IT firms, but it could strongly deter students from pursuing US admissions without a clear job path.

TK Arun

September 20, 2025 at 11:11 AM IST

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GST Exemptions, Nil Rates and Other Smoke and Mirrors

GST relief looks big on paper, but gaps in input credit and energy taxes mean consumers will see less benefit than portrayed.

TK Arun

September 9, 2025 at 8:13 AM IST

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