ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Tilak Devasher is the author of four widely acclaimed books on Pakistan and a former member of the National Security Advisory Board. He lives and breathes Pakistan, closely tracking its politics, military, and society.Uttam Kumar Sinha is a scholar and commentator on transboundary rivers, climate change, and the Arctic. He is a Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses and the author of 'Trial by Water: Indus Basin and India-Pakistan Relations' (2025) and 'Indus Basin Uninterrupted' (2021).In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, the guests discuss the Indus Waters Treaty, signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, and how it has become the latest flashpoint between the two countries. Will Pakistan face a water crisis due to the suspension of the treaty? More on Ayub Khan, Nehru, Modi and Asim Munir.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction02:00 – Indus Waters Treaty Geography07:54 – Nehru's Vision14:39 – Importance of Chenab22:12 – Pakistan's Water Crisis27:50 – India's Dam Projects35:40 – Abeyance of Water Treaty40:07 – India's Water Storage Capacity46:20 – Chenab-Beas Link Project54:49 – Pak's Diplomatic Strategy1:03:20 – How Indus Waters Treaty Was Signed1:11:23 – Pakistan's Internal Water Conflict1:18:10 – India's Narrative

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 edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he says Benjamin Netanyahu misled Donald Trump by promising a quick victory in Iran, only for the war to drag on. He calls Trump an unpredictable leader, argues that U.S.-Israel ties have suffered, discusses Pakistan's role in the peace talks, and explains why the Iran war is India's war because New Delhi's strategic interests lie in the Gulf.00:00 – Introduction 01:35 – US-Iran Talks 03:51 – Netanyahu's Influence 06:33 – Trump's Shift on Israel 10:26 – Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 14:18 – Hegemon in West Asia 21:25 – Trump Vs Netanyahu 26:59 – Pakistan's Role 33:49 – Netanyahu's War Strategy 37:27 – Gulf's Response to Israel 43:29 – Pakistan's Influence 52:36 – Why West Asia Matters to India 57:27 – New Multipolar World Order

From Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to Punjab, political equations are shifting across India. Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi still the defining force in Indian politics? Can Rahul Gandhi transform the Congress into a credible alternative? What role will regional parties play in shaping the next phase of Indian democracy? And is India moving towards a two-coalition political system? In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, senior journalists Neerja Chowdhury, Rasheed Kidwai and Shekhar Iyer join the discussion to analyse the changing political landscape.Timestamps00:00 – Introduction01:20 – TMC's Collapse08:05 – Defections in TMC15:10 – The Fall of Abhishek Banerjee23:31 – Congress & Regional Parties31:53 – Congress–TMC Merger?37:57 – TVK-Congress Alliance47:33 – Rahul Gandhi vs Modi in 2029?54:27 – BJP's Core Voters1:00:23 – Why Voters Relate to Modi1:08:19 – Modi's Feedback Mechanism1:14:44 – Rajasthan Congress & Sachin Pilot1:24:46 – Punjab Assembly Polls 20271:31:58 – UP Polls 20271:38:48 – Journalists and Politicians

Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran is the Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India. He is also a writer, author, and teacher. He has taught at several business schools and management institutes in India and Singapore. He was a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India from 2019 to 2021.In this edition of the ANI Podcast, Dr. Nageswaran speaks to Smita Prakash about the future of the Indian economy, the impact of the West Asia crisis, the outlook for the rupee, and whether AI is a bubble. He also explains why he believes the era of the MBA is over.00:00 - Introduction00:56 - Foreign Investors04:14 - Rupee-Dollar Debate08:24 - Rupee Stability14:20 - Foreign Banks20:07 - Critics of India's Economy28:20 - China's Manufacturing33:09 - Unemployment in India35:09 - Freebies Debate44:24 - India's Aging Population50:41 - Demographic Dividend58:36 - The Skill Gap1:00:21 - Artificial Intelligence1:05:55 - India's Economic Strength1:09:52 - Myths About Indian Economy1:12:00 - India in 20471:18:22 - Per Capita Income1:22:56 - Viksit Bharat Target1:27:59 - Vision for India1:36:42 - Old Economic Beliefs1:38:07 - India's Economic Mindset1:44:52 - Advice vs. Execution in Govt1:48:40 - Fake News