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