Politics@2025: Fault lines & turning points, the moments that shaped India

From terror and unrest to diplomacy, power shifts and ideological milestones, the moments that shaped India this year

Terror strike and retaliation 

On April 22, at least three Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked tourists near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 civilians. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — including the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Muridke. Pakistani forces retaliated, triggering skirmishes that continued until May 10. India subsequently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty indefinitely, and cancelled all Pakistani visas. The Pahalgam terror attack had prompted a massive outflow of tourists from Kashmir. 

 

Diplomacy on overdrive 

Amid global uncertainty sparked by US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime and a rare-earth magnet crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook an unprecedented diplomatic push. He made 11 foreign tours, visited 23 countries, and spent 42 days abroad — the most in a decade. In February, weeks after Trump returned to the White House, Modi visited the US. 

 

A surprise at the top 

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned abruptly on July 21, citing health reasons, a move the Congress claimed raised unanswered questions. CP Radhakrishnan was later sworn in as India’s 15th vice president. 

 

Power shifts, new mandates 

On November 20, Nitish Kumar took oath for a record 10th term as Bihar chief minister after the National Democratic Alliance registered a sweeping victory in the state. Earlier, in February, Rekha Gupta became Delhi’s fourth woman CM, marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s return to power in the capital after 27 years and ending the Aam Aadmi Party’s decade-long rule. 

 

Taliban outreach 

Taliban Foreign Minister addressed the media during the first high-level visit by the Taliban-led Afghan government to India since its 2021 takeover. The interaction included women journalists after criticism of an earlier all-male briefing, even as concerns over women’s rights persist. 

 

A fair and square question 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of colluding with the Election Commission of India to commit what he termed the “biggest anti-national act” through alleged “vote chori (theft)”, warning that it was undermining the foundations of India’s democracy. 

 

Unrest over Waqf law 

Violence erupted in Murshidabad, West Bengal, in April amid protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which seeks to regulate Waqf properties. Several homes were damaged and vehicles torched. 

 

Farewell to arms 

In the largest mass surrender in the history of anti-Naxal operations, 210 Naxals laid down their arms in October in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh. The surrender marked a significant milestone in the campaign against Left-Wing Extremism. 

 

Left & Right @100 

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, founded in 1925, marked its 100th year on October 2, coinciding with Vijaya Dashami and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. On December 26, the Communist Party of India also turned 100.