The State of Indian Politics in 2025
India’s political landscape in 2025 reflects a blend of change and continuity, shaped by the recent general elections, shifting regional power, youth engagement, and the ongoing digital revolution.
Coalition Era: Modi’s Third Term and New Alliances
In June 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a historic third consecutive term. However, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) maintained its national vote share, it lost enough seats that it now governs in coalition,
relying on critical regional allies within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This marks a major shift: for the first time since coming to power,
the BJP must share executive authority and negotiate more complex political demands, notably from states like Bihar and Andhra Pradesh seeking additional
fiscal support. The aura of BJP's electoral invincibility has dimmed, and managing coalition dynamics is now central to national governance.
Rise of Regional Leaders
Regional parties and state leaders have become more influential, reflecting voters’ increasing focus on local governance and issues.
This has heightened the importance of federal flexibility and brought more diversity to national policy debates.
Youth and Digital Influence: With India’s youth forming a massive portion of the electorate, their priorities (jobs, education, climate policy)
are dominating political discourse. Campaigns and parties have adopted advanced digital and AI-driven strategies for voter outreach and sentiment analysis.
Women’s Empowerment
The momentum for greater women’s participation in politics continues. Initiatives like the Women’s Reservation Bill and active recruitment are pushing for higher representation in decision-making bodies
The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Debate
The proposal to synchronize national and state elections has been widely discussed. Proponents argue it would streamline governance, but critics worry about the impact on state autonomy. This debate remains central and unresolved in 2025.
Social Media and Political Narrative
Social platforms shape voter opinion and campaign messaging more than ever, but concerns about misinformation and polarization persist.
Major Policy and Economic Challenges
India’s economy is poised to become Asia’s second largest in 2025, trailing only China, and the fourth largest globally. Yet, job creation has
not matched economic growth, with persistent unemployment among the youth and a growing informal workforce. Campaigns promise millions of new
jobs yearly, but independent analysts are skeptical about these projections.
Economic pressures, from high inflation and a weakening rupee to tepid private investment, challenge the government's ambitious reform agenda.
Additionally, the government must navigate sensitive social issues, such as whether to conduct a caste census—a measure supported by regional
allies but opposed by Hindu nationalists within the BJP.
Law Commission’s 2025 Report
In July 2025, the Law Commission of India released a much-anticipated report on the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections for the
Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies. This report followed months of consultation with political leaders, experts, and the public,
and is likely to shape future electoral reforms. The commission argues that synchronized elections could streamline governance, improve
administrative efficiency, and reduce the heavy costs and frequent disruptions caused by multiple election cycles.
Economic and Administrative Arguments
The proposal is being framed as a solution to rising election costs and administrative burdens. Organizing one large electoral event rather than
multiple staggered ones is seen by many as a way to allocate public resources better, reduce manpower strains on security and civil services, and
potentially boost voter turnout by concentrating attention and resources.