What are the latest developments in India's relations with neighboring countries in 2025?

India’s neighborhood ties in 2025 moved in very different directions: a sharp security crisis with Pakistan, cautious efforts to steady relations with China and Bangladesh, and continued cooperation with several other neighbors. These were some of the most notable developments during the year.

Major developments country by country

• Pakistan: Relations deteriorated severely after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking what it said were terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Military exchanges followed before a ceasefire was announced on May 10. India also placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, adding a major dispute over shared water resources to the crisis.
• China: After the 2024 disengagement arrangement along parts of the Line of Actual Control, both sides worked to restore some normal contact while keeping the border question unresolved. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin in August and discussed stabilizing ties. Direct passenger flights resumed in October, another practical sign of a limited thaw.
• Bangladesh: Ties remained strained following the 2024 change of government in Dhaka. Narendra Modi and interim leader Muhammad Yunus met at the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok in April. Their talks addressed concerns including the safety of minorities and public rhetoric, but disagreement and mistrust continued to weigh on the relationship.
• Sri Lanka: Modi’s April visit produced agreements on areas including defence cooperation, energy and digital development. Both governments also advanced plans for electricity links and energy projects, while continuing talks on debt and economic recovery.
• Maldives: Modi visited in July for the country’s 60th independence anniversary. The two sides announced a framework for a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership and agreed on further Indian financial support, marking a more cooperative phase after earlier tensions over the presence of Indian military personnel.
• Nepal and Bhutan: Energy remained central to India’s ties with both Himalayan neighbors. Cooperation continued on cross-border electricity trade, hydropower and connectivity, building on existing agreements and projects.
• Myanmar: India provided emergency assistance after the devastating March earthquake, including relief supplies and rescue and medical teams under Operation Brahma. The aid effort took place against the backdrop of Myanmar’s continuing conflict and shared border-security concerns.

Overall, 2025 brought a serious India-Pakistan crisis alongside selective efforts to keep dialogue and practical cooperation alive elsewhere in the region. The sharpest contrasts were between the deterioration with Pakistan and the measured efforts to rebuild working ties with China and the Maldives.