ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

From Tejas fighter jets and the AMCA programme to drones and missile systems. India is pushing aggressively towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Can India truly become “Aatmanirbhar” in defence? Or is complete self-reliance impossible in a world dependent on global supply chains? What role will private companies play in India’s growing drone ecosystem?In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, we are joined by Sanjeev Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Defence Production. A 1993-batch IAS officer with a background in electronics engineering, communication technology, and financial management, he is leading India’s push towards indigenous defence manufacturing and technology modernisation.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction01:05 – Lessons from West Asia Crisis05:05 – India’s Drone Production Capacity05:52 – India’s Missile Production Capacity08:49 – India’s Ammunition Manufacturing Capacity14:27 – India’s Defence Exports17:20 – India’s Atmanirbhar Defence Capabilities19:45 – Success of ‘Make in India’ in Defence24:52 – India’s Defence Imports27:59 – Chinese Components & Data Security Risks29:02 – Use of AI in Modern Warfare29:52 – India’s Indigenous Fighter Jet Programme35:24 – Tejas Jet Delivery Status38:25 – India’s BrahMos Missile Programme39:35 – India’s Competitors in Defence Exports42:02 – India’s AMCA Project44:09 – Defence Firms Investing in R&D49:09 – Defence Talent and Innovation in India56:56 – India–Russia Defence Partnership1:02:04 – S-400 and Operation Sindoor

Geetam Tiwari is an Emeritus Professor at the Transportation Research & Injury Prevention Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. She has over 25 years of experience in transportation planning, road safety, and urban mobility. Her work focuses on safer roads, better footpaths, bicycle infrastructure, and protecting pedestrians.In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, she talks about why Indian cities face traffic chaos, unsafe roads, and poor pedestrian facilities. She also discusses what India needs to do to build safer, smarter, and more efficient transport systems.00:00 – Introduction02:21 – Rising Road Deaths08:13 – International Driving Tests10:03 – Road Safety Rules11:49 – School Bus Safety13:38 – Highways & Expressways Design Flaws17:03 – Audible Road Markers21:12 – Why Indians Ignore Road Signs22:05 – Facilities on Expressways & Highways23:53 – Expressways & Highways for Two-Wheelers25:41 – Importance of Service Roads29:07 – Wrong-Side Driving31:26 – Pedestrians & Cyclists37:45 – Public Spaces Accessibility39:13 – Reality of Vendors on Indian Roads41:38 – Why Foot Overbridges & Underpasses Fail46:31 – The Pothole Problem49:58 – Corruption in Road Construction53:11 – Municipal Corporations and Dug-Up Roads55:02 – Labourers at Road Construction Sites58:18 – Road Reality Check Segment1:04:49 – Building Proper Bicycle Paths

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 Up00:30 – Global Impact of Iran War04:18 – U.S. Operation Against Maduro07:14 – U.S. Objectives in Iran10:53 – U.S. Military Strength15:20 – Iran’s Counterattack21:16 – Implications of Iran War22:27 – Iran’s Shahed Drones32:07 – U.S.–Israel Tech Alliance41:34 – India’s Role in Global Tensions46:45 – China’s High-Tech Warfare50:14 – India’s Defence System58:49 – Attack on IRIS Dena1:00:31 – India’s Strategic Partners1:10:12 – Iran’s Strikes on the Gulf1:13:28 – Private Sector in National Security

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 - Introduction00:50 - T20 World Cup Victory01:52 - How to Handle Critics04:18 - Handling Social Media Toxicity06:35 - Being a Coach08:23 - Playing in Front of Legends09:30 - Dhoni’s Post for Gambhir & Team10:50 - Fans’ Expectations12:56 - India Tailoring Pitches Allegation14:07 - India’s Power in World Cricket15:19 - Money Power in Cricket16:33 - Hanuman Mandir Visit Controversy18:59 - Backing Sanju Samson19:52 - Beyond Individual Performance21:10 - Superstars in the Team22:30 - Who Offered Head Coach Role?27:03 - Freedom in the Dressing Room29:18 - Expectations from Players32:06 - Who Does Gambhir Listen To?33:34 - Gambhir on Ashwin's Remarks35:25 - Achievements as Head Coach40:02 - Fitness in the Game43:43 - Mental Makeup During Test Matches46:37 - The Role of Family48:44 - Mood in the Dressing Room After Victory49:56 - First Meal After Victory50:20 - Diet Discipline in Cricket51:32 - Planning for the 2027 World Cup51:56 - Does IPL Drain Players?52:47 - What’s Next for Gambhir?53:12 - Will Gambhir Rejoin Politics?

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 – Introduction02:05 – The Middle East War03:51 – Gulf Nations Under Attack09:09 – Israel’s Objectives in Iran12:24 – US–Israel Targeting Strategy16:12 – Did U.S. Abandon GCC Bases?24:01 – IRGC’s Command Structure29:48 – Iran’s War Mindset35:27 – Impact of Khamenei’s Death37:22 – 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 Role55:33 – The Modi–Netanyahu Meeting59:00 – Evacuation Plans & Economic Impact on India1:07:53 – The Roles of China and Russia1:18:57 – How Long Could This War Last?

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?Timestamps00:00 – Introduction01:15 – Balochistan Uprising05:15 – Pakistan’s Double Standards09:03 – How the ISI Controls Pakistan13:39 – The Core Issue of Kashmir15:46 – Pak’s Interference in Kashmir’s Politics21:53 – Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism25:08 – Entire India Pakistan’s Target?32:23 – Pakistan’s Foreign Relations35:11 – Pakistan–Bangladesh Ties40:12 – Global Superpower vs Civilizational Power43:06 – South Asia & the Ottoman Empire47:32 – Hybrid Militancy in Kashmir53:05 – Al-Falah University’s Terror Links1:00:47 – Militancy in Kashmir1:06:07 – How Should India Tackle Terrorism?1:15:25 – Satya Pal Malik’s “Fax Machine” Story1:23:34 – Kashmir After Article 3701:27:36 – How to Deal with Terrorism1:29:26 – West Asia Conflict Explained1:32:52 – Operation Sindoor1:34:52 – Khalistan