India’s foreign policy has been described as a year of significant failure and defeat in 2025 by The Hindu newspaper. According to the newspaper, India’s foreign policy failed to meet expectations and promises were made without any concrete action. The newspaper argues that symbolic diplomacy, personal relationships, and propaganda could not replace the country’s economic, military, and diplomatic strength.
India made promises not only to itself but also to its partners, but it lacked the influence and power to follow through on these promises. The year 2025 was the most challenging year for India in this century, according to The Hindu. The country faced a 25% tariff on goods, additional sanctions on Russian oil, and restrictions on H-1B visas.
The newspaper notes that India’s role in the 2025 US National Security Strategy is limited compared to 2017. Despite high-level meetings with China and Russia, no significant security progress was made on the Line of Actual Control, and India was forced to back down from its stance on Russian oil due to US pressure.
The Hindu describes the Pulwama Fals Flag operation as a major security failure and acknowledges that India’s military actions did not receive international support after the Pulwama attack. The country’s silence on aircraft damage also damaged its reputation, and the announcement of a defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was a further blow to India.
The United Nations experts have published a report on the Pakistan-India conflict, criticizing India’s unilateral actions. Indian analysts now believe that Pakistan’s leadership is “hard and organized,” according to The Hindu.
India’s relations with Bangladesh have reached the most tense level ever, according to the newspaper. The Hindu argues that India’s tendency to blame others for its problems is the biggest obstacle to realistic and pragmatic policy-making.
The newspaper notes that US President Trump’s statement on Kashmir supports Pakistan’s diplomatic position and has given Pakistan a psychological advantage, while India has been left behind.
The newspaper also reports on other international news, including a train accident in Japan, a devastating earthquake in Taiwan, a complex war between Iran and Iraq, a new high-speed train that reached a speed of 700 km/h in just two seconds, Russian drones being shot down by Ukraine, Ukraine’s president stating that elections cannot be held in the current security situation, a harsh move by the Indian government to deport Rohingya immigrants, an attack on a Palestinian man in Israel, Thailand and Cambodia agreeing to cooperate on cybercrime, Turkish President Erdogan saying that he has not spoken to the founder of the M.K. Party in two years, Turkish actor Mustafa Kemal saying that the founder of the M.K. Party is an actor, Pakistani actress Rehman Rehman revealing her struggle with depression, and Pakistani actress Saba Qamar responding to those who use her name to gain cheap fame.
