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

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

M.A. Ganapathy is a former NSG Chief and senior IPS officer with decades of experience in internal security, counter-terrorism, and policing. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Ganapathy breaks down ‘PRAHAAR’, India’s first national counter-terror policy, and explains what it means for the country’s security strategy.

He talks about the lessons India can draw from the West Asia conflict, the importance of building capabilities as a deterrent, and why clear objectives are critical in any conflict. He also discusses the growing threats of drone warfare, cyber attacks, and radicalisation, and why India needs a “whole of society” approach to tackle terrorism. The conversation covers the role of intelligence agencies, coordination between police forces, and how sleeper cells operate in urban environments.

*Timestamps*

00:00 – Introduction

00:46 – US & Israel’s Objectives in Iran

05:08 – Role of Intelligence in Wars

06:50 – India’s Approach to Iran War

07:49 – ‘PRAHAAR’ Counter-Terror Policy

13:48 – Interstate Coordination

16:31 – State Police Forces

20:39 – De-radicalisation in India

29:12 – Naxal Networks

32:27 – How Criminal Networks Support Terror

34:28 – Can Police Tackle Tech-Driven Terror?

40:00 – Surveillance and Apps in Modern Warfare

45:57 – Tackling Sleeper Cells

48:58 – Training Citizens to Recognise Terror

52:24 – Role of the NSG

56:41 – How the CBI Investigates Cases

1:00:09 – Reality of OTT Series

1:02:27 – Police Mental Health & Physical Fitness

1:05:09 – Why Pakistan Isn’t Mentioned in ‘PRAHAAR’