Monika Halan is a finance writer, speaker, and author who helps families make better money decisions. She is the founder of Dhan Chakra Financial Education and the author of the best-selling book Let’s Talk Money. She also serves as the Chairperson of SEBI’s Advisory Committee for the Investor Protection and Education Fund.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Halan explains why investors often panic during situations like the Iran war. She says the key is to have a clear asset allocation and not enter the markets without proper understanding or research.

She also highlights the importance of energy and food security for India. She advocates that India has enough coal reserves for the next 100 years and should use them wisely. At the same time, she points out that India cannot be expected to follow the same climate standards as developed countries with much higher incomes.

00:00 – Coming Up

00:00 – Introduction

01:03 – Investor Anxiety Over Iran War

07:41 – Asset Allocation Strategies

14:15 – Where to Invest Amid War?

19:11 – India’s Fiscal & Monetary Safety Nets

25:11 – Financial Influencers

30:30 – Home Loans & Emergency Funds

34:12 – Financial Planning for Children’s Education

40:11 – Behavioural Traps in Investing

43:58 – Portfolio Management Tips

50:30 – India’s Reform Priorities

58:16 – AI and Financial Literacy

Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) has served as the Director General (Inspection and Safety) of the Indian Air Force. He has also held the position of Commandant at both the Air Force Academy and the National Defence Academy. With over 7,800 hours of incident-free flying on various trainer, transport, and strategic aircraft, he is considered one of the stalwarts of Aerial Refuelling Operations in the Indian Air Force. He has also flown the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor explains how modern warfare in West Asia is driven by air power, missiles and drones, and how Iran’s air defence has challenged U.S. and Israeli air superiority.

He also highlights that China’s J-20 stealth fighters in Tibet pose a serious challenge and India must develop strong fifth-generation capabilities, while also pointing out that India’s indigenous satellite navigation system needs to be strengthened further.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction

01:16 – Iranian Air Defence Response

05:47 – Iran’s Decentralised Command Structure

09:57 – Iran’s Underground Missile Bases

18:05 – Limits of Modern Interceptor Systems

23:13 – Multi-Domain Warfare

29:20 – US Aircraft Losses

31:54 – India’s Satellite and Navigation Capability Gap

43:53 – Role of Theatre Commands

47:46 – Global Energy Supply Chains

50:56 – Indigenous Defence R&D

54:56 – Jamming and Spoofing

57:42 – Rafale Source Code Access Debate

M.A. Ganapathy is a former NSG Chief and senior IPS officer with decades of experience in internal security, counter-terrorism, and policing. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ganapathy breaks down ‘PRAHAAR’, India’s first national counter-terror policy, and explains what it means for the country’s security strategy.

He talks about the lessons India can draw from the West Asia conflict, the importance of building capabilities as a deterrent, and why clear objectives are critical in any conflict. He also discusses the growing threats of drone warfare, cyber attacks, and radicalisation, and why India needs a “whole of society” approach to tackle terrorism. The conversation covers the role of intelligence agencies, coordination between police forces, and how sleeper cells operate in urban environments.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction

00:46 – US & Israel’s Objectives in Iran

05:08 – Role of Intelligence in Wars

06:50 – India’s Approach to Iran War

07:49 – ‘PRAHAAR’ Counter-Terror Policy

13:48 – Interstate Coordination

16:31 – State Police Forces

20:39 – De-radicalisation in India

29:12 – Naxal Networks

32:27 – How Criminal Networks Support Terror

34:28 – Can Police Tackle Tech-Driven Terror?

40:00 – Surveillance and Apps in Modern Warfare

45:57 – Tackling Sleeper Cells

48:58 – Training Citizens to Recognise Terror

52:24 – Role of the NSG

56:41 – How the CBI Investigates Cases

1:00:09 – Reality of OTT Series

1:02:27 – Police Mental Health & Physical Fitness

1:05:09 – Why Pakistan Isn’t Mentioned in ‘PRAHAAR’

Pankaj Saran is a former diplomat with over 40 years of experience in foreign policy, strategy, and national security. He has served as India’s Ambassador to Russia and Bangladesh, Deputy National Security Adviser, and worked in the Prime Minister’s Office under Dr Manmohan Singh. He has also been posted at the Indian Mission in Washington, D.C. He is currently the Convenor of NatStrat, a Delhi-based independent centre for research on strategic and security issues.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ambassador Saran explains why India’s silence on the Iran war is being seen as aligning with the US and Israel. He says Pakistan is not a mediator, but a messenger in the conflict. He also talks about how Pakistan built close ties with the Trump administration, and whether India missed a chance to play a bigger role in stopping the war. The conversation also touches on the film Dhurandhar and why India chose not to retaliate after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:53 – West Asia War Overview

05:47 – Decision-Making in War

09:18 – India’s Stand on Iran War

12:16 – LPG Supply Crisis

17:52 – Gulf Nations Under Attack

19:55 – Warfare Strategies

27:41 – Pakistan as Mediator in Iran War

36:26 – Should India Mediate Iran War?

38:44 – Iran’s Global Position

42:26 – China & Russia's stand

58:38 – India’s Strategic Silence

1:04:45 – Can India Build AI Without U.S.?

1:08:57 – Did India Misread Iran Situation?

1:11:29 – 2008 Mumbai Attacks

1:22:45 – Dhurandhar Movie

Manickam Tagore is an Indian National Congress MP representing the Virudhunagar constituency in Tamil Nadu. He serves as Whip of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha and is the All India Congress Committee in-charge of Andhra Pradesh.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the Opposition’s strategy in Parliament, the DMK–Congress alliance, actor Vijay, freebies politics, Congress’ organisational challenges, and the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu.

*Timestamps*

00:00 - Introduction

00:22 - Lok Sabha Suspension Revoked

04:25 - DMK–Congress Alliance

08:16 - National Parties in Tamil Nadu

16:28 - Modi vs Rahul Popularity

21:27 - Power Sharing with DMK

26:08 - The Vijay Challenge

35:58 - Tamil Nadu Media

37:21 - Alliance Dynamics in Tamil Nadu

40:24 - Politics of Freebies

46:57 - Rahul as Congress Face

49:42 - Why Rahul Gets Angry

53:50 - Digital Marketing by Political Parties

55:42 - Ravneet Singh Bittu

1:04:28 - Congress Cadre

1:14:23 - Caste Politics in Tamil Nadu

Swaminathan Gurumurthy is the editor of the Tamil political weekly Thuglak. An auditor by training and an ideologue by conviction, he has spent decades at the intersection of economics, politics and civilisational debate. From his investigations into corporate power in the 1980s involving Reliance Industries to his critique of globalisation and role in shaping the intellectual ecosystem of the RSS, he has remained an influential and outspoken voice in India’s public life.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the DMK-Congress alliance, actor Vijay, Sanatana Dharma, Tamil Nadu politics and RSS.

Gurumurthy outlines the structural and ideological challenges the BJP faces in Tamil Nadu, shaped by decades of Dravidian politics and alliance-driven electoral dynamics.

He also speaks candidly about Ramnath Goenka, Dhirubhai Ambani, Indira Gandhi-era politics and his clashes with corporate power in India.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction

02:14 - Dravidian Politics

14:43 - DMK-Congress Alliance

21:25 - Can Vijay Challenge DMK?

25:42 - Tamil Nadu’s Cultural Ethos

33:56 - Electoral Shifts in Tamil Nadu

40:43 - BJP’s Challenge in Tamil Nadu

48:05 - Tamil Cultural Media

51:46 - Anti-Hindu Politics in Tamil Nadu

55:58 - Story Behind ‘Guru’ Movie

58:51 - Ties with Ramnath Goenka

1:08:20 - Dhirubhai Ambani Investigations

1:10:35 - Advisory Role in Corporate Family Disputes

1:17:12 - Political Engagement Across Parties

1:24:28 - Congress’s Leadership Crisis

1:32:58 - West Asia Conflict

1:39:33 - BJP’s Outreach to Minorities

1:49:03 - Views on the Gandhi Family

1:54:21 - BJP-RSS Coordination

Daniel Benaim served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the U.S. State Department. He previously advised President Joe Biden on West Asia policy and has worked at the White House and the U.S. Senate. He also wrote speeches for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other senior U.S. officials. He closely follows developments in West Asia and U.S. foreign policy.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Daniel says that the U.S. miscalculated the Iran war and wasn’t fully prepared. He explains how Iran may be “winning without winning”, and why Gulf countries feel let down by the conflict. He also talks about Iran’s use of the Strait of Hormuz as a key lever, and why India’s approach to the crisis appears measured and pragmatic.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:52 – Who’s Winning Iran War?

05:36 – Future of Iranian Regime

08:32 – Will U.S. Deploy Troops to Iran?

11:28 – Strait of Hormuz Blockade

14:51 – Future of Alliances in West Asia

19:57 – Will Gulf Nations Attack Iran?

23:00 – Russia & China on Iran War

24:10 – Trump Delays Beijing Visit

25:21 – Did Trump Miscalculate Iran?

30:46 – Biden or Clinton: Response to Iran War

32:35 – Will Iran Surrender?

34:28 – Trump Opening New War Fronts?

37:30 – If Iran Survives, Who Wins?

40:38 – Saudi-Pakistan Ties

44:17 – Do Americans Support Iran War?

49:46 – Iran’s Missile Capacity

52:41 – Did Biden Give $6 Billion to Iran?

55:48 – Iran’s Nuclear Program

58:21 – India’s Stand on Iran War

1:00:39 – Will India Pick a Side in Iran War?

1:04:27 – What Does Saudi Want from Pakistan?

1:06:56 – Who Can Mediate Iran War?

1:08:39 – Will Iranian Regime Survive?

1:10:47 – Who is Face of the Democrats?

1:12:29 – Evolving India-U.S. Ties

What lessons can India learn from the Iran war? How have drones proved to be a game-changer in modern warfare? How is Iran using ‘Shahed’ drones to carry out attacks on Israel and Gulf nations? How can Artificial Intelligence be integrated into defence systems? What impact could this conflict have on the global defence industry? How are Gulf nations looking at their security today?

In this edition of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd.), former General Officer Commanding of the Army Training Command and a noted military strategist, answers these questions and explains the changing nature of modern warfare.

00:00 – Coming Up

00:30 – Global Impact of Iran War

04:18 – U.S. Operation Against Maduro

07:14 – U.S. Objectives in Iran

10:53 – U.S. Military Strength

15:20 – Iran’s Counterattack

21:16 – Implications of Iran War

22:27 – Iran’s Shahed Drones

32:07 – U.S.–Israel Tech Alliance

41:34 – India’s Role in Global Tensions

46:45 – China’s High-Tech Warfare

50:14 – India’s Defence System

58:49 – Attack on IRIS Dena

1:00:31 – India’s Strategic Partners

1:10:12 – Iran’s Strikes on the Gulf

1:13:28 – Private Sector in National Security