India's Trading Holidays: A Heated Debate Between Zerodha's Kamath and Helios Capital's Arora

• A debate ignited between Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath and Helios Capital's Samir Arora regarding India's numerous stock market holidays.
• Kamath criticized the closure of exchanges for Mumbai's municipal elections, citing poor planning and negative impact on international linkages and global investor credibility.
• Arora countered, questioning if fewer holidays truly globalize markets and arguing that international investors understand time zone differences and local holidays.
• India's stock exchanges will observe 16 trading holidays in 2026, excluding weekends, significantly more than major US and European exchanges.
• The debate highlights the tension between domestic priorities and India's global financial ambitions, with implications for liquidity, risk management, and investor perception.

Why It Matters: The debate over India's numerous trading holidays raises questions about global market integration and investor perception.