Arvind's Newsletter

1.Pulak Prasad is the founder of Nalanda Capital, a Singapore-based investment firm and was previously the co-head of India for Warburg Pincus (WP), a private equity firm. While Pulak was at WP the firm invested in Bharti Airtel in 1999 and again in 2001, betting around $292 million in total. It sold the stake in three tranches during 2004-05, harvesting around $1.83 billion. This remains its largest exit in India in terms of quantum. Pulak is a recent author of “What I learnt from investing from Darwin” ,an extract from this book is the next piece.

2.Leaked Pentagon documents pointed to weaknesses in Ukraine’s military. One report indicated the country’s air defense might not hold its front line against Russia through May.

The US Justice Department is investigating a leaked classified US intelligence documents uploaded to a Discord server early last month. Images of some of those documents were shared widely on social media last week in a significant breach of American intelligence.

The leaked materials consisted of several photographs of files—portions of which are believed to be doctored—containing sensitive information from across the US espionage community. Most of the reports—which reportedly confirm claims the US has deeply infiltrated Russian intelligence—are US assessments of the Ukraine war. They also reveal sensitive information regarding China, Iran, and others, including a failed attempt by Russia's Wagner group to negotiate an arms deal with NATO member Turkey, as well as previously undisclosed advanced US satellite systems.

Analysts expect the leak to have widespread repercussions for current intelligence sharing among the US and its allies; on Friday, the Pentagon restricted the flow of intelligence in an attempt to minimize the chance of further leaks.

3.The Most Meaningful Way to Succeed Is to Help Others Succeed opines Prof Adam M Grant of Wharton Business School. Success is not about winning a competition. It’s about making a contribution. This was his thesis of his book Give and Take which came out 10 years backs. He updates the findings of his research based on his current thinking in this article below

4.Full-colour “electronic paper” is on its way. The tech company E Ink, which makes the displays for Kindles and other e-readers, unveiled a new product capable of displaying colours almost as vivid and multihued as those on an LCD TV.

E-paper displays reflect light, rather than emitting it, allowing them to be read under natural light, to be viewed from all angles, and to continue displaying an image without power. Existing colour e-paper is limited in colour and slow to update. The new E Ink product is intended for billboard advertising, but hopefully will pave the way for comic books and images that actually look good on your Kindle.

5.The U.S. government will announce new car pollution rules this week, meant to ensure that two out of every three passenger vehicles sold by 2032 are electric, The New York Times reported. The rules would bring the U.S. into line with the EU, U.K. and Canada and augment existing incentives on electric vehicles and other green tech. The rules will strain manufacturers’ supply chains and require infrastructure overhauls, and may face legal challenges. It could also affect the 2024 presidential election: The auto industry is a major employer in several swing states. The U.S. wants to boost its EV manufacturing, but one manufacturer is looking elsewhere: Tesla announced that it is building a new factory in Shanghai. Even as other companies are diversifying their supply chains to reduce dependence on China, Tesla will make its Megapack batteries at the new facility, deepening its investment in China.