The year 2025 has proven to be one of severe challenges, diplomatic failures, and international embarrassment for India on the foreign policy front.
India’s own leading newspaper The Hindu, in a detailed analysis, has acknowledged that the Narendra Modi government’s foreign policy failed to deliver on its lofty promises and grand claims.
According to the paper, 2025 can be described as a “year of broken promises” for Indian foreign policy, where symbolic diplomacy, personal rapport, and narrative-building could not substitute for real economic, military, and diplomatic power.
The Hindu noted that India made commitments not only to itself but also to its partners without possessing the influence or practical capacity required to fulfill them.
US Relations: The Biggest Blow
The analysis described 2025 as the most difficult year of the century for India-US relations. The imposition of a 25 percent tariff, additional restrictions related to Russian oil, and curbs on H-1B visas made it clear that Washington’s partnership with India remains conditional and strictly interest-based.
The newspaper also highlighted that compared to 2017, India’s role in the 2025 US National Security Strategy has been significantly reduced.
Failures on China, Russia, and Energy Fronts
Despite high-level engagements with China and Russia, no tangible security progress was achieved along the Line of Actual Control, while investment barriers continued to persist.
On the energy front, India was forced to retreat from its stance on Russian oil under US pressure.
Security Failures and Global Isolation
The Hindu termed the Pahalgam false-flag operation a serious security failure, admitting that subsequent Indian military actions failed to gain diplomatic support at the global level. Silence over aircraft losses following these operations further damaged India’s credibility.
Regional Diplomatic Shocks
The announcement of a mutual defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan came as another major setback for India.
According to the paper, Indian analysts have now begun acknowledging Pakistan’s leadership as “hardline and strategically organized.” Meanwhile, India-Bangladesh relations have reached their most strained level in history.
From ‘Vishwaguru’ to ‘Vishwavictim’
The Hindu warned that India is drifting from the narrative of being a “Vishwaguru” (global leader) toward becoming a “Vishwavictim” (global victim). The paper emphasized that blaming others remains the biggest obstacle to reform and realistic policymaking.
Analysts argue that this assessment by The Hindu clearly validates Pakistan’s long-held position that India’s foreign policy has largely been driven by optics and showmanship, yielding few tangible outcomes.
According to experts, the admission also highlights that India is no longer an indispensable strategic partner for the United States, while Indian claims of Pakistan’s global isolation have increasingly been exposed as unfounded.
