Talmiz Ahmad is one of India’s most experienced diplomats, with decades of work across West Asia, the Gulf, and global strategic affairs. A former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE, he has watched world politics change from the front row.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Ahmad breaks down India–Russia ties and why the West is rattled by New Delhi’s independent foreign policy. He explains the new Saudi–Pakistan defence pact, China’s growing influence in the Gulf, and what these changes mean for India.

He also discusses India’s role in the Middle East, the Israel–Gaza war, and why the era of unquestioned Western power may be ending.

00:00 – Introduction

01:04 – Takeaways from Putin’s India Visit

05:58 – India’s Strategic Autonomy

11:06 – Why the USA is Rattled

14:48 – Conflicts in the Middle East

23:45 – How the USA Broke the World Order

39:24 – Saudi–Pakistan Defence Pact

45:02 – Middle East’s View on India–Pakistan

47:13 – Saudi Arabia’s Fight Against Terror

52:09 – India’s Fight Against Terrorism