India’s Foreign Policy Performance in 2025 Falls Short of Expectations
Border hostilities with Pakistan, strained US ties and neighbourhood challenges mark a difficult year, despite gains with China, Canada and Russia
India, Dec 29 : As 2025 draws to a close, India finds itself grappling with a challenging foreign policy landscape marked by regional hostilities, strained ties with key global partners and fresh turbulence in its immediate neighbourhood.
The year witnessed four days of intense hostilities between India and Pakistan in May following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which terrorists massacred tourists on the basis of religion. New Delhi responded with “Operation Sindoor”, targeting terrorist infrastructure deep inside Pakistan. While the confrontation ended within days, India made it unequivocally clear that it would no longer succumb to nuclear blackmail and that any future terror attack would be treated as an act of war.
Relations with the United States long projected as a strategic pillar of India’s foreign policy also came under severe strain. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House had initially raised hopes of closer engagement, given his personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Those expectations, however, were short-lived.
The Trump administration imposed punitive tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Indian products the highest levied on any country accusing New Delhi of aiding Russia’s war effort by purchasing Russian oil amid the Ukraine conflict. Adding to the friction, Trump repeatedly claimed credit for the cessation of India-Pakistan hostilities, assertions firmly rejected by New Delhi, which reiterated that no third-party mediation was involved.
The downturn in ties has led to the postponement of the much-anticipated Quad Summit involving India, the US, Japan and Australia, originally scheduled to be hosted in New Delhi. The summit’s future now hinges on whether India and the US can bridge differences through an ongoing free trade agreement and resolve broader strategic disagreements.
India’s neighbourhood diplomacy faced fresh challenges as Bangladesh emerged as a new pressure point. The caretaker regime in Dhaka adopted an increasingly confrontational posture towards New Delhi and was accused of turning a blind eye to violence against minorities, particularly Hindus. Bangladesh’s growing engagement with Pakistan marked a significant shift in South Asia’s geopolitical equations and raised concerns in India.
Amid these setbacks, India registered some diplomatic gains. Ties with China showed signs of cautious improvement as Prime Minister Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August. The meeting underscored India’s strategic autonomy and willingness to re-engage with Beijing, particularly on economic issues, despite unresolved border tensions.
India is still assessing the extent of Chinese military support to Pakistan during the May hostilities. Nonetheless, New Delhi chose to compartmentalise differences, a move reflected in the widely circulated image of PM Modi with Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin a moment that drew critical remarks from President Trump but was largely ignored by both India and China.
Relations with Canada, which had deteriorated sharply following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations against Indian agencies over the killing of a Khalistan supporter, witnessed a notable turnaround. Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has signalled a clear intent to rebuild ties and deepen engagement with India.
India’s long-standing partnership with Russia also regained momentum. President Vladimir Putin’s December visit to New Delhi resulted in the signing of several landmark agreements, reinforcing strategic cooperation. At the same time, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s position that this is not an era of war and called for a negotiated end to the Ukraine conflict.
Taken together, 2025 stands out as a year of diplomatic turbulence for India one that tested its strategic resilience, exposed fault lines with key partners, and underscored the complexities of navigating an increasingly polarised global order.
