Kanwal Sibal is a former Foreign Secretary to the Government of India. He has served as India’s Ambassador to Turkey, Egypt, France and Russia, and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington DC with the personal rank of Ambassador. He was also a member of India’s National Security Advisory Board from 2008 to 2010. With over 41 years of diplomatic experience, he explains geopolitics and foreign affairs from an Indian perspective.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Kanwal Sibal explains how the Israel–U.S. war against Iran could deeply hurt India’s interests in the Gulf. He also discusses why Iran could sink any ship in the Strait of Hormuz and why he believes there is “a huge vacuum in global leadership.”

He also discusses what India should do in the conflict, the sinking of the IRIS Dena, the objectives of the U.S. and Israel in the war, and what the future of security in the Gulf could look like.

00:00 – Introduction

00:35 – India’s Stand on the Iran War

07:29 – Sinking of IRIS Dena

18:12 – PM Modi’s Visit to Israel

23:55 – Iran’s Nuclear Program

28:15 – War with a “Civilizational State”

30:12 – India–U.S. Relations

39:42 – Christopher Landau’s Remarks

43:45 – Why India Needs the Gulf

49:41 – Americans as Partners

56:37 – Russia–Ukraine War

1:00:21 – France’s Nuclear Umbrella

1:02:12 – Which Countries Might Go Nuclear Next?

1:07:30 – Importance of the Strait of Hormuz

1:11:45 – Targeting Fuel Depots in Iran

1:15:05 – Gulf Under Attack

1:18:10 – Possible Outcomes of the Iran War

1:21:42 – How the Iran War Could Affect India

1:25:54 – Global Leadership Crisis

Gautam Gambhir is the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team. Under his leadership, the team has won two major ICC tournaments — the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He is the first Indian head coach to win two ICC trophies. Gambhir is also the most successful Indian cricketers in terms of trophies, both as a player and as a coach.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the T20 World Cup win, social media toxicity, honesty with players, ending the superstar culture in the team and what’s next for him.

00:00 - Introduction

00:50 - T20 World Cup Victory

01:52 - How to Handle Critics

04:18 - Handling Social Media Toxicity

06:35 - Being a Coach

08:23 - Playing in Front of Legends

09:30 - Dhoni’s Post for Gambhir & Team

10:50 - Fans’ Expectations

12:56 - India Tailoring Pitches Allegation

14:07 - India’s Power in World Cricket

15:19 - Money Power in Cricket

16:33 - Hanuman Mandir Visit Controversy

18:59 - Backing Sanju Samson

19:52 - Beyond Individual Performance

21:10 - Superstars in the Team

22:30 - Who Offered Head Coach Role?

27:03 - Freedom in the Dressing Room

29:18 - Expectations from Players

32:06 - Who Does Gambhir Listen To?

33:34 - Gambhir on Ashwin's Remarks

35:25 - Achievements as Head Coach

40:02 - Fitness in the Game

43:43 - Mental Makeup During Test Matches

46:37 - The Role of Family

48:44 - Mood in the Dressing Room After Victory

49:56 - First Meal After Victory

50:20 - Diet Discipline in Cricket

51:32 - Planning for the 2027 World Cup

51:56 - Does IPL Drain Players?

52:47 - What’s Next for Gambhir?

53:12 - Will Gambhir Rejoin Politics?

Jon Finer is an international affairs expert and former Principal Deputy National Security Adviser to Jake Sullivan during the presidency of Joe Biden. Before that, he served in the White House under Barack Obama as a White House Fellow, working in the office of the Chief of Staff and the National Security Council. Finer was a foreign and national correspondent for The Washington Post. He reported from more than 20 countries around the world. He also co-hosts “The Long Game,” a weekly national security podcast with Jake Sullivan.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Jon Finer discusses the U.S.–Israel military action against Iran and its strategic implications. He says Donald Trump is creating ambiguity about the real objective of the conflict. According to him, “A U.S. win is unclear and politically difficult to define.” He adds that China is supporting Iran rhetorically, but not militarily. He also warns that this conflict could accelerate global nuclear proliferation. Finer also speaks about India–U.S. ties and America’s growing closeness with Pakistan.

00:00 – Introduction

01:18 – Regime Change in Iran

04:30 – U.S. Objectives in Iran War

07:36 – Gulf Nations Under Attack

14:18 – China Helping Iran in War?

16:39 – U.S.–Iran Nuclear Talks

18:35 – Trump’s War Powers

23:04 – U.S. Nuclear Umbrella

27:23 – U.S.–Pakistan Relations

33:52 – U.S.–India Ties

37:13 – Serving Under Obama & Biden

41:27 – China’s Limited Global Alliances

47:54 – How U.S. Media Portrays India

52:51 – Jeffrey Sachs’ Claims on Jake Sullivan

Dr. Swasti Rao is a geopolitics and defence expert, commentator, and author. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Jindal School of International Studies and a Consulting Editor for Strategic and International Affairs at ThePrint. She explains key geopolitical and security issues from an Indian perspective.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she discusses what could happen to Iran after Ayatollah Khamenei’s death and how the security structure of Gulf nations might change. She describes Donald Trump as the only U.S. President to have gone this far in supporting Israel, and explains what another war could mean for the Middle East. She also talks about the impact on global oil supplies and what is at stake for India.

00:00 – Introduction

02:05 – The Middle East War

03:51 – Gulf Nations Under Attack

09:09 – Israel’s Objectives in Iran

12:24 – US–Israel Targeting Strategy

16:12 – Did U.S. Abandon GCC Bases?

24:01 – IRGC’s Command Structure

29:48 – Iran’s War Mindset

35:27 – Impact of Khamenei’s Death

37:22 – GCC in Shock After Attacks?

41:57 – What Do Saudi Arabia & Israel Want?

44:41 – Iran–Turkey Ties: What’s Next?

46:29 – Pakistan’s Role

55:33 – The Modi–Netanyahu Meeting

59:00 – Evacuation Plans & Economic Impact on India

1:07:53 – The Roles of China and Russia

1:18:57 – How Long Could This War Last?

Ashish Chauhan is the MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE). A technocrat from IIT Bombay and IIM Calcutta, he was part of the founding team that built the NSE. He is credited with bringing several key innovations to India’s stock market. He also served as the MD and CEO of the Bombay Stock Exchange for 10 years.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the much-awaited NSE IPO, how the exchange handles cyberattacks, and how the NSE powers India’s stock market. He advises investors to stay away from social media “tips,” shares his views on India’s options market, and discusses the future of de-dollarisation and India’s growing number of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

00:00 – Introduction

00:42 – What Does NSE Do?

06:35 – How NSE Earns Revenue

09:16 – How NSE Powers India’s Stock Market

15:18 – Regulations in Capital Markets

20:02 – NSE IPO Coming Soon?

27:56 – NSE Co-Location Scam

33:12 – 1992 Harshad Mehta Scam

39:23 – India’s Options Market

44:55 – NSE’s Investor Awareness Initiatives

47:29 – Why India Bans Prediction Markets

50:45 – How NSE Survives Cyberattacks

57:29 – Challenges as NSE MD

1:02:09 – Future of De-Dollarisation

1:06:55 – India’s FTAs

1:16:04 – Modinomics vs Manmohanomics

1:23:42 – NSE’s Vision for Viksit Bharat 2047

Abhinav Pandya is an author and scholar who has studied the concept of jihad in great depth. He has also advised the former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, on security matters.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the conversation focuses on the challenges India faces as a target of global jihad. With what appears to be an emerging axis involving Turkey, Pakistan, China and even Bangladesh, is India facing a larger strategic encirclement?

Is Kashmir the central objective, or is the target much bigger, the whole of India? And most importantly, what must India do to counter this jihadist strategy?

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:15 – Balochistan Uprising

05:15 – Pakistan’s Double Standards

09:03 – How the ISI Controls Pakistan

13:39 – The Core Issue of Kashmir

15:46 – Pak’s Interference in Kashmir’s Politics

21:53 – Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism

25:08 – Entire India Pakistan’s Target?

32:23 – Pakistan’s Foreign Relations

35:11 – Pakistan–Bangladesh Ties

40:12 – Global Superpower vs Civilizational Power

43:06 – South Asia & the Ottoman Empire

47:32 – Hybrid Militancy in Kashmir

53:05 – Al-Falah University’s Terror Links

1:00:47 – Militancy in Kashmir

1:06:07 – How Should India Tackle Terrorism?

1:15:25 – Satya Pal Malik’s “Fax Machine” Story

1:23:34 – Kashmir After Article 370

1:27:36 – How to Deal with Terrorism

1:29:26 – West Asia Conflict Explained

1:32:52 – Operation Sindoor

1:34:52 – Khalistan

From OTP scams and phone data leaks to AI misuse and digital warfare, how safe are we really? Cybersecurity affects you, your family, your workplace, and even the country you live in. Amit Dubey is a national security expert and cybersecurity specialist. He has worked closely with Indian government agencies and police departments on cybercrime investigations. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he explains how AI is being misused for fraud and scams, and breaks down China’s digital warfare strategy and India’s cybersecurity reality in simple terms.

00:00 – Introduction

01:01 – U.S. Cyberattack on Venezuela

05:38 – How to Stop Deepfakes

12:58 – Legal Action on AI

14:26 – A Great Firewall for India?

17:43 – Deepfakes Influencing Elections

22:10 – AI and Voter Fraud

26:55 – Risks of Posting Personal Details

32:24 – How Personal Information Is Exploited

37:02 – Credit Card Scams

40:58 – OTP Scams & Password Theft

48:00 – Sancharsathi App Controversy

58:14 – Protecting Private Photos Online

1:01:20 – Can EVMs Be Hacked?

1:07:49 – Hybrid War Threats

1:10:44 – Gen Z Protests & Disinformation

1:14:04 – Spreading Disinformation Online

1:20:19 – Cyber Attacks During Op Sindoor

1:22:47 – Foreign SIMs & Cyber Threats

1:26:32 – Agniveer Protest & Fake SMS

1:30:02 – AI Videos Targeting India

1:35:08 – Influencers Spreading Fake Content

John Brittas wears many hats: parliamentarian, journalist, Managing Director and Chief Editor of Malayalam Communications Limited, which runs Kairali TV and Kairali News. He is currently the CPI(M) Parliamentary Party Leader in the Rajya Sabha.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he speaks about the decline of communism in India and across the world, and why the Left struggles to connect with a wider audience today. He discusses the Kerala model, migration from the state, and Kerala’s social harmony.

He argues that Hindutva politics will not click in Kerala and says the BJP is unlikely to become a major force there in the near future. He also speaks about the Congress and claims it continues to follow a “right-wing economic ideology.”

The conversation also covers the India–US trade deal, the 2008 nuclear deal, the UPA era, Pinarayi Vijayan’s leadership, and the strength of Malayalam cinema.

00:00 – Introduction

01:11 – Why Communism is Failing in India

10:38 – Kerala’s Vibrant Culture

12:28 – How CPI(M) Is So Powerful in Kerala

23:55 – India–US Nuclear Deal

26:15 – India–US Trade Deal

33:08 – The Kerala Ecosystem

36:16 – Why Kerala Supports the Left

40:57 – Can Kerala Inspire a Left Revival?

43:23 – BJP’s Prospects in Kerala

52:55 – Religious Harmony in Kerala

58:20 – BJP’s Mayoral Win

1:05:14 – Life as a Journalist

1:10:56 – Malayalam Cinema

1:14:49 – Political Leadership in India

1:15:56 – Pinarayi Vijayan’s Leadership Style

Karti Chidambaram is an Indian National Congress MP representing the Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the Parliament Budget Session, DMK-Congress alliance, Actor Vijay, freebies politics, money laundering investigations against him, and BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu.

He also addresses the Dhurandhar controversy and his alleged cameo in it, highlighting the absence of official records related to it.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction

01:47 – Parliament Deadlock

12:33 – Congress-DMK Alliance

20:04 – Congress in Tamil Nadu

25:30 – BJP-AIADMK Alliance

31:09 – Anti-Incumbency Against DMK

37:36 – Legal Cases & Investigations

43:40 – Sonia’s Role in UPA

47:27 – Sanatana Debate

51:23 – Freebie Politics

59:09 – Dhurandhar Controversy

1:05:16 – KYC, Re-KYC & Citizen Rights

1:11:13 – Family-Centric Politics

1:15:31 – Relations with Rahul Gandhi

1:16:26 – Snap Reactions

1:23:47 – Bonding with Father

1:32:09 – South Indian Food

Nayab Singh Saini, the Chief Minister of Haryana, led the BJP to win a third term in the state, despite predictions of anti-incumbency against the party.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, CM Saini talks about the key issues shaping Haryana’s future, including farmers, job creation, and women’s safety.

He also shares his vision for the development of Gurugram, focusing on better urban planning, improved drainage systems, and long-term growth for the city.

00:00 – Introduction

00:52 – No Anti-Incumbency in Haryana

08:51 – Promises Made During the Polls

13:27 – Farmers’ Protest

18:08 – Crop Diversification in Haryana

23:27 – Youth Skill Development & Women’s Safety

26:06 – Gurugram’s Development

28:28 – Punjab’s Drug Crisis

35:49 – Jobs and Employment

40:05 – Lado Lakshmi Yojana

41:52 – Welfare Schemes

44:38 – Yamuna Poison Controversy