India’s leading newspaper The Hindu has described 2025 as a year marked by foreign policy failures, broken promises, and diplomatic embarrassment for the Narendra Modi-led government, offering a rare and sharp critique of New Delhi’s external engagement.
In an in-depth analysis, the newspaper argues that the high expectations associated with Prime Minister Modi failed to translate into tangible outcomes.
It notes that symbolic diplomacy, personal rapport with world leaders, and aggressive narrative-building proved inadequate substitutes for real economic, military, and diplomatic power.
According to The Hindu, India made ambitious commitments not only to its own citizens but also to international partners without possessing the necessary influence or capacity to deliver on those promises.
The diplomatic challenges faced by India throughout 2025, the paper says, openly exposed the structural weaknesses of its foreign policy.
On relations with the United States, The Hindu acknowledged that 2025 was India’s most difficult year of the century. The imposition of a 25 per cent tariff, additional restrictions linked to Russian oil, and curbs on H-1B visas underscored that India’s partnership with Washington remains conditional and interest-driven.
The paper also pointed out that India’s role in the 2025 US National Security Strategy has been significantly reduced compared to 2017.
Discussing China and Russia, the analysis stated that despite multiple high-level meetings, no meaningful security progress was achieved along the Line of Actual Control. Investment barriers persisted, and India’s presence remained largely symbolic.
In the energy sector, US pressure reportedly forced India to retreat from its stated position on Russian oil imports.
The newspaper termed the Pahalgam false flag operation a serious security failure, conceding that India’s subsequent military actions failed to secure international diplomatic backing.
It added that India’s silence over aircraft losses following the operation further damaged its credibility.
The Hindu also described the announcement of a defence cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as an additional diplomatic blow for India. The paper noted that even Indian analysts are now acknowledging Pakistan’s leadership as “hardline and organisationally capable,” challenging India’s long-standing narrative that Pakistan is weak or internationally isolated.
The analysis further admitted that India’s relations with Bangladesh have reached their most strained point in history.
Warning of a broader trend, The Hindu argued that India is gradually shifting from its claim of being a “Vishwaguru” (world leader) to becoming a “Vishwa Victim,” cautioning that blaming external actors is hindering meaningful reforms and realistic policymaking.
Experts cited in the report said the analysis highlights the fragility of India’s diplomacy and confirms that New Delhi’s foreign policy has relied heavily on optics and showmanship rather than substantive results.
They added that these admissions strengthen Pakistan’s position that India’s deterrence narrative has failed to convince the international community, while new regional power realities are becoming increasingly evident.
The experts also pointed out that India, which frequently raises concerns about minority rights in Bangladesh, must take serious steps to condemn and prevent attacks on minorities within its own borders, warning that perceived double standards are further undermining India’s diplomatic credibility
