In this live session of the ANI Podcast, the guests discuss the lessons India has drawn from the Iran war and the learnings from Operation Sindoor as it completes one year. The conversation explores military readiness, evolving threats, and the role of technology and strategy in shaping India’s defence posture.

Participants

Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow, ORF

Tilak Devasher, Author; Former Member, National Security Advisory Board

Moderators

Smita Prakash, Chief Editor & Deputy CEO, ANI

Naveen Kapoor, National Bureau Chief, ANI

*Timestamps*

00:00 - Introduction

00:34 - Lessons from Operation Sindoor

13:46 - Pakistan’s Close Ties with the USA

25:48 - How Pakistan Handles the Media

31:26 - What Changed in Pak After Op Sindoor?

35:56 - Dhurandar Operations in Pakistan

42:35 - India’s Strategic Autonomy

48:45 - How Pakistanis View Indians

1:00:28 - India’s Reaction to Global Conflicts

1:09:09 - India’s Defence Strategy

1:20:10 - India’s Border Security

Sanjeev Kapoor is one of India’s most well-known chefs, authors and entrepreneurs. From ‘Khana Khazana’ to global restaurants, and from cookbooks to food innovation, he has influenced how India looks at cooking and flavour over the last few decades.

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Chef talks about how eating habits in India are changing, with busy lifestyles and ready-to-eat meals replacing home-cooked meals.

He also explores India’s food culture, from street food and restaurant experiences to hygiene standards and cloud kitchens. Kapoor shares honest views on overhyped food trends, along with what makes a dish special.

00:00 - Introduction

01:23 - Choosing a Cooking Career

13:43 - Starting the Restaurant Journey

26:10 - Western Cooking vs. Indian Cooking

34:13 - Curating Restaurant Menus

38:38 - Indian Food Plating

42:33 - Curating Airline Menus

56:11 - Cooking in Modern Times

1:01:22 – Restaurant Culture

1:04:26 - Snap Reactions

1:08:16 - Hygiene In Cloud Kitchens

1:22:37 - Indian Food Culture

1:44:02 - Underrated Indian Spices

Vikas Tiwari, also known as Ranu Tiwari, runs the YouTube channel Bastar Talkies. He has helped over 200 Naxals surrender and return to mainstream society. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about how Naxalism began in Chhattisgarh, the challenges of reporting from Bastar, and the goal set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make India Naxal-free. He was awarded the Rameshwaram Hindi Journalism National Award in December 2025. This is a simple, first-hand account from a journalist reporting directly from the remote areas of Chhattisgarh.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

03:18 – From Truck Driver to YouTuber

11:58 – Dangers in Naxal-Affected Areas

15:34 – Naxalism and Its Causes

22:07 – How Naxals Return to the Mainstream

28:33 – Challenges of Reporting in Naxal Areas

36:41 – Naxals in Bastar: What Has Changed

41:10 – Thulthuli Encounter Explained

44:41 – The Story of Mukesh Chandrakar

50:58 – Why Maoists Resisted Development

56:03 – The Reality of Salwa Judum

58:28 – Life After Maoists’ Surrender

1:00:53 – Youth and Maoist Ideology

1:02:35 – Reporting from Naxal Areas

1:07:22 – Stories from Families of Martyrs

1:14:08 – When Maoists Started Losing Power

1:16:36 – Attack on Congress Leader V.C. Shukla

1:18:35 – Understanding “Urban Naxals”

1:24:10 – Suggestions to Counter “Urban Naxals”

1:27:15 – Reality of Bastar Villages

India’s financial markets are going through a complex global situation, shaped by changing geopolitics and shifts in domestic growth. To help us understand what lies ahead, the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash is joined by one of the most respected voices in the investment world, Nilesh Shah, Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company. He is also a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. With decades of experience across market cycles, he shares valuable insights on the economy, markets, and where investors should consider placing their bets. He also explains what lessons India can learn from the West Asia crisis.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:39 – Role in PM’s Economic Advisory Council

03:49 – India’s GDP Ranking

07:30 – India’s Economic Vulnerability

12:30 – Progress of Banking in India

16:16 – Impact of West Asia Conflict on India

20:41 – How India Can Improve Its GDP

25:22 – US Markets During Iran War

27:44 – India–China Trade Explained

31:07 – Monsoon Impact on Indian Economy

32:30 – Why is Rupee Falling?

37:55 – Role of AI in Indian Economy

41:06 – Investor Trust in Indian Equities

42:37 – IPO Rush in 2025 Explained

44:09 – Buy or Sell in the Stock Market

46:45 – How to Manage Money Better

In this episode of ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we take a deep dive into Women’s Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 2026.

Joining the conversation are Varghese K. George, resident editor at The Hindu, and Swapnil Tripathi, lead at Charkha (Centre for Constitutional Law) at Vidhi.

Together, they explain what the bill aimed to do and why linking it with delimitation and census data led to political disagreement.

The discussion also covers concerns over North-South balance, population-based seat redistribution, and parliamentary accountability.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction

01:47 – Political Timing of Women’s Quota Bill

05:38 – Delimitation Debate

11:02 – PM Modi’s Guarantee

17:03 – Impact on South India

20:24 – Chandrababu Naidu’s Stand

25:49 – Furore Over Delimitation

30:55 – Reserved Constituencies in India

35:11 – Population & Tax Contribution

40:28 – Tharoor’s Proposal

49:23 – Political Consensus on Women’s Reservation

52:44 – DMK’s Private Member’s Bill

56:43 – Executive-Centric Governance in Democracies

1:07:19 – Arvind Kejriwal & Mamata Banerjee in Court

Kangana Ranaut is a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi and an actress known for speaking her mind. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she shares her journey in Bollywood and reflects on whether her bluntness has cost her opportunities in the industry.

She also speaks about her controversies with Karan Johar and her ‘tapori’ remark on Rahul Gandhi. The conversation covers the Women’s Reservation Bill, her upcoming film Queen 2, why she chose to become a parliamentarian, and more.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:53 – Salman’s Compliment

06:21 – Bollywood Journey

12:54 – Interview with Karan Johar

16:14 – Turning Point in Career

18:52 – Why Actresses Avoid Comedy Roles

20:51 – First-Time MP Experience

25:57 – ‘Tapori’ Remark Against Rahul Gandhi

29:28 – Women’s Reservation Bill

39:36 – Delimitation Debate

43:41 – Mandi Constituency Challenges

48:13 – Passion for Handloom Sarees

53:15 – ‘Dhurandhar’ Effect on Bollywood

59:23 – Snap Reactions

1:06:37 – Career vs Marriage Choice

1:17:35 – Journey from Mandi to Mumbai

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

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