ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

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

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?