Abheek Barua

Abheek Barua is the former Chief Economist of HDFC Bank. He teaches at Ashoka University.

Does Monetary Policy Need a New Paradigm?

With the world now in a permacrisis, monetary policy needs a new operating paradigm, as the RBI may not be dealing with textbook supply shocks.

Abheek Barua

October 12, 2026 at 3:00 AM IST

iStock.com

Could Indonesia’s Sovereign Fund Show India a Better Way?

Indonesia’s Dananatara offers lessons in managing state assets. India may need a more unified model to unlock value and fund growth.

Abheek Barua

June 17, 2026 at 4:00 AM IST

danantaraindonesia.co.id

Will India Once Again Turn to Its Diaspora for Capital, and Will It Work?

The government will have to weigh the high cost of any heavy-duty intervention against both its likely benefits and the effectiveness of alternative policy options.

Abheek Barua

May 8, 2026 at 8:55 AM IST

Istock.com

RBI’s Quiet Dovish Tilt Meets a Fragile Rupee Defence

Monetary Policy

RBI signals a growth priority amid oil-shock risks, even as it defends the rupee with calibrated intervention and selective curbs on speculation.

Abheek Barua

April 9, 2026 at 1:46 AM IST

The Case For a Robot Tax

As AI and robotics threaten labour-intensive growth in developing economies, policymakers may need to reconsider a controversial idea: a tax on excessive automation.

Abheek Barua

March 5, 2026 at 8:35 AM IST

iStock.com

India’s External Strength Masks a Growing Vulnerability Problem

Budget 2026

Strong reserves give India comfort today, but frequent geopolitical and tech shocks risk steadily eroding its external resilience.

Abheek Barua

January 20, 2026 at 6:31 AM IST

Screengrab from "RBI Unlocked: Beyond the Rupee" series (JioHotstar)

Rupee Depreciation: How Much More?

India’s recent rupee depreciation is not a typical bout of capital flight but reflects deeper unease among global investors despite strong headline growth. Questions around earnings visibility, data credibility, and the limits of India’s exchange-rate management are now converging on the currency.

Abheek Barua

January 6, 2026 at 7:30 AM IST

Through the Glass Darkly: Listing The Known Unknowns

As global risks mount, from volatility in the Russian oil supply to uncertainty over the future of the Fed chair, are we adequately prepared for the coming economic shocks?

Abheek Barua

July 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM IST

Federal Reserve

RBI’s New Dharma: Bold Cuts, Balanced Stance

Monetary Policy

With its bold cuts in repo rate and CRR, and the shift in stance, the RBI has tried to play its role in pushing growth but has a contingency plan, should things go wrong.

Abheek Barua

June 6, 2025 at 9:49 AM IST

RBI

Apple, Trump, And The Real Cost Of Making Things

Trump’s push to bring Apple’s factories home challenges India’s China+1 dream. But productivity, not wages, may be the real battleground.

Abheek Barua

May 21, 2025 at 6:22 AM IST

iStock.com

RBI’s ‘Stance’ Is Still Standing; But Should It Be Retired For Good?

The RBI clings to its ambiguous stance on monetary policy. In a world demanding clarity, is it still useful, or merely an obstacle to transparency?

Abheek Barua

May 8, 2025 at 1:32 AM IST

RBI Chooses Growth Over Inflation As Tariff War Clouds Intensify

Monetary Policy

The RBI’s shift to an accommodative stance signals a growth-first approach, but its crisis response still feels too mild for the storm brewing.

Abheek Barua

April 9, 2025 at 7:46 AM IST

Anurag Vijay/CC

Reciprocal Tariffs: Brace For Impact

Monetary Policy

Should the RBI and indeed all central banks see the current situation as primarily an inflation problem or a growth problem?

Abheek Barua

April 4, 2025 at 7:44 AM IST

Goodbye, Mr Greenback?

For long, the status of the dollar has given the US the “exorbitant privilege” of being unconstrained by its external balances.

Abheek Barua

March 24, 2025 at 3:12 AM IST

baona/iStock.com

Rupee At A Crossroads: Stability, Competitiveness, And The Fragility Of Reserves

India’s reserves are built on capital inflows rather than trade surplus, making them vulnerable to sudden exits.

Abheek Barua

February 16, 2025 at 3:41 PM IST

Can The RBI Afford To Cut Rates?

Markets expect a rate cut, but can the RBI risk it amid global tariff wars, rising inflation, and currency pressures?

Abheek Barua

February 4, 2025 at 7:46 AM IST

Budget May Have To Reset India’s Growth Engine From Investment To Consumption

It is pointless to debate whether the current slowdown is cyclical or structural; what matters is finding a way forward. The Budget 2025-26 will have to navigate a complex economic landscape where growth momentum has faltered just when it was expected to pick up.

Abheek Barua

January 30, 2025 at 9:44 AM IST

The Bureau

RBI measures may lift rupee but raise costs for genuine hedgers

RBI announces special dollar window for PSU oil cos, regulatory measures for FX market

RBI Raises Repo Rate for First Time in Four Years, Shifts Stance to Tightening

RBI raises 2026-27 CPI inflation forecast to 5.2%, flags oil, monsoon risks

India's Balance of Payments to Remain Under Pressure, Keep Rupee Vulnerable - ANZ

RBI to Use Appropriate Mix of Liquidity Tools, Align WACR with Repo Rate

RBI Raises 2026-27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7.1%, Flags West Asia, Monsoon Risks

Two External MPC Members Dissent on Policy Stance, Favour Retaining Neutral

Is the RBI Behind the Curve?

In Search of the Lesser Florican

Maneet Pal Singh