N95 masks, sanitisers, social distancing, and more. In 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic shook the world, changing the way we live. It also jettisoned the world, and India, to remote and hybrid work environments. The way we use technology, approach healthcare, and more—all of it changed.
March marks five years since India announced a full lockdown on account of the Covid-19 pandemic across the nation.
Indian stock market index Sensex grew almost 160 per cent during the time. Nifty jumped close to 170 per cent during the period.
Let us visit the major events since then.
From lockdown to farmer protests
March 24, 2020: India begins first nationwide Covid-19 lockdown
A police officer stops a motorist (file) | AP
India imposed a strict lockdown on its 1.3 billion population to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, in what has been hailed as one of the largest such measures globally. While it disrupted the economy sending Indian markets down and triggering a migrant crisis, the move showcases India’s capacity for rapid, large-scale public health action.
June 15-16, 2020: India clashes with China at Galwan Valley
Border tensions between India and China escalated in June 2020, after a deadly skirmish in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley killed 20 Indian soldiers and an unconfirmed number of Chinese troops. This marked the worst India-China conflict in over 40 years, prompting military buildup and diplomatic strain.
August 5, 2020: PM Modi performs ‘bhoomi puja’ to start Ayodhya Ram Temple construction
The Ram Lalla idol at Ayodhya temple (file) | PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the traditional ‘bhoomi puja’ for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, signalling the start of construction, following the 2019 Supreme Court ruling. The event marked a decades-long Hindu nationalist goal, reshaping India’s socio-political landscape.
January 26, 2021: Farmers’ tractor rally reaches Delhi
Thousands of farmers stormed Delhi on Republic Day protesting agricultural laws, clashing with the police and breaching security at the Red Fort. The unprecedented unrest forced the government to repeal the laws in November 2021, in a move that showcased agrarian influence in the Centre.
April-May 2021: India sees second Covid-19 wave reach peak
The second wave of the pandemic was devastating for the country. Daily cases crossed 400,000 on May 7, putting undue strain on healthcare systems. Global aid flocked to India, and helped lift some of the load, but public health infrastructure barely held on.
November 19, 2021: Farm Laws Repealed in India
PM Modi announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws after a year of protests—some violent—in a rare policy reversal by the Centre headed by the BJP.
From plastic ban to moon landing
February 24, 2022: Russia-Ukraine conflict begins
As Russia moved its troops to Ukraine, it sparked a global conflict disrupting energy and food supply chains. However, India took a neutral stance that saw most of the world pick sides, with the Centre even increasing Russian oil imports at one point.
July 1, 2022: India bans single-use plastic
The nation banned single-use plastics in a bid to combat pollution, targeting items like straws and bags. Given the vast population, this movement marked a major shift in environmental policy, even influencing global sustainability efforts.
September 8, 2022: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II passes away
The longest-reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away, ending an era. President Droupadi Murmu visited London to attend the state funeral and offer condolences on behalf of the Indian government. India also observed a day of national mourning.
April 19, 2023: India overtakes China to become the most populous nation
UN data confirmed India’s population surpassed China’s at 142.86 crore, amplifying the country’s global economic and human-resource potential and the challenges that come with it.
August 23, 2023: Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing
Chandrayaan-3 | ISRO
ISRO announced the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s south pole, a first for any nation. It further showed India’s status as a space power.
From international treaties to political changes
September 9-10, 2023: G20 Summit in New Delhi
The nation hosted the G20 Summit, securing consensus on climate and economic issues amid global tensions and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. India made the world turn its attention to the global South.
June 4, 2024: Indian General Election Results
PM Narendra Modi (file) | PTI
The BJP-led NDA won a third term, though with a reduced majority, signalling a shift in the national political landscape of India. However, in Kerala—where BJP struggled to make a mark till then—Suresh Gopi won from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency with a 74,686-vote margin, breaking the jinx for the saffron party.
October 21, 2024: India and China agree on border de-escalation
India and China agreed to disengage troops from major hotspots in the Himalayan border, which were marked with years of standoffs, four years after the brutal skirmish between Indian and Chinese soldiers back in 2020.
November 5, 2024: Donald Trump wins the US presidential election
US President Donald Trump (file) | AP
Donald Trump won a second term as US President. After assuming office in January 2025, Trump went on an ‘executive order signing spree’, altering global alliances and trade dynamics. Impending trade war fears mounted on India’s stock markets, sending shares down before getting on a correction in March 2025.
These are just some of the major events spanning politics, science, environment, and geopolitics, focussing on the country’s national and global impact.
This year, between January 13 and February 26, India also witnessed crores of people flocking to Prayagrah for what has been termed the world’s largest religious festival, Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.
India cricket captain Rohit Sharma with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (file) | AP
India in 2025 has emerged as a major power geopolitically and otherwise. The country also became the new cricket champions after winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Recent events, from the disastrous Trump-Zelenskyy White House meeting to the CDU/CSU victory in the German elections, and Mark Carney taking over as Canada’s Prime Minister, India looks at new trade, energy, and climate cooperation around the world—a long way from when it declared a nationwide pandemic lockdown five years ago.
