ARUN GOYAL
Senior Fellow
BIOGRAPHY
Mr. Arun Goyal is a 1985 batch retired officer of Indian Administrative Service officer belonging to the Union Territories Cadre with diverse and distinguished public service career spanning over four decades, marked by an unwavering commitment to public service and impactful governance. He is former Member of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and former Secretary to the Government of India.
In his last assignment as a Member in the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission spanning 4 years and 4 months, he played a key role in finalizing important regulation such as the Grid Code, the 2024 Tariff Regulations, General Network Access Regulations, Power Market Regulations, and adjudicated more than 2200 petitions.
He has extensive experience in the power sector and has served three tenures within Delhi’s power sector. He played a key part in driving and stabilizing the historic power reforms in Delhi, which resulted in unbundling of the Delhi Vidyut Board and the privatization of the distribution.
He has contributed significantly to the major reforms and transitions in India including India’s transition from GATT to WTO regime, rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and establishing India’s Financial Intelligence Unit.
Other important positions held by him include Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat; Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, where he headed the Project Monitoring Group; Minister (Economic & Commercial) at the Embassy of India in Tokyo; and Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor in the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
He is a graduate in electrical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, University of Delhi, an MBA (PGDM) from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He also has an MA in Economics from HP University and MSc in Development Management from Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
He is a regular speaker at academic institutes such as IITs, IIMs, LBSNAA, MDI, NPTI, and at panel discussions & roundtables of apex chambers, associations, and trade bodies.
CURRENT FOCUS
Energy Transition, Renewables, Power Reforms, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
- ‘Why it is the beginning of a new era for the Indian power system’ – ET Energyworld.com, 09.10. 2023
- ‘The missing link in India’s battery waste management’ – The Hindu, 05.08.2025
- E-waste recycling: Why State intervention is essential for circular economy’ – The Hindustan Times, 08.10.2025
- ‘How India is powering the Global South’s leap into inclusive, sustainable, ethical AI innovation’ – ET Government, 25.10.2025
- ‘AI Growth Needs Power, India is Planning for both’ – ET Edge, 23.01.2026
- ‘Why 13 GW of data centre power load may require 40 GW of renewables’ – co-authored with Mr. Martand Shradul – ET EnergyWorld.com , 27.02.2026
- ‘Accelerated DPDP: The E-Commerce Challenge’ – The Hindustan Times, 06.03.2026
TRAINING
In-Service 3-Weeks Training programs at University of California, Berkley and Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA