India: A Year, in Progress

Indian Space Research Organisation astronaut and Axiom-4 Mission Specialist Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module. During his 18-day stay in June/July, Shukla participated in seven microgravity experiments designed by ISRO. The first Indian to go to the ISS, Shukla’s mission was crucial for India’s future space endeavours, particularly the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, as the mission’s data and insights will inform and refine ISRO’s strategies for crewed missions.

Shrimp being processed and frozen for export at a marine food processing unit on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed in July 2025, represents a significant win for India. Textiles, footwear, carpets, automobiles, seafood, and fresh fruits, valued at about $6.5 billion, which constitute about 45 percent of what India currently exports to the UK, will now be duty-free. The remaining 55 percent of goods which constitutes petroleum, pharmaceuticals (right), diamonds, and aircraft components worth $8 billion already enjoys zero duty, according to an analysis by the Global Trade Research initiative.

The Indian Railways made an historic advance into Mizoram in July 2025, boosting connectivity with its Bairabi-Sairang railway line. Traversing over dense forests, steep hills, and landslide-prone zones through 48 tunnels and over 40 bridges, this rail line is a feat of persistence and planning, a symbol of India’s growing focus on Northeast infrastructure through its Act East Policy.

The new Pamban bridge, opened in April 2025, is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge that connects mainland India to Rameshwaram Island. The 2.07 km bridge replaces the ageing original bridge in commission from 1914. The new bridge features a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that can be raised to 17 metres in just five minutes to allow ship passage.

The Indian Railways, in July 2025, successfully tested the first hydrogen-powered coach at its Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. This is a significant step for the Railways, a key player in India’s mission to support zero carbon emission goals as a clean energy source. Being a highly flammable gas, the mounting structure of hydrogen cylinders and fuel cells on driving power cars involves critical safety challenges.

The 1.31 km-long Chenab Bridge in Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir, inaugurated in June 2025, rises taller than the Eiffel Tower at 359 metres above the deep gorge of the Chenab river. Connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India, the world’s highest railway arch bridge is an engineering marvel, made with 28,660 mega tonnes of steel that cost Rs 1,486 crore and took two decades to complete.

India ended a 12-year drought by winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai in March 2025. Sharma provided a fiery start to India’s innings, hitting seven fours and three sixes, and KL Rahul’s unbeaten 34 helped India to chase down the score to win the Trophy for the third time.

When Kolhapuri chappals hit Prada’s Spring/Summer 2026 runway in Paris in June 2025 with a price tag of ₹1.16 lakh, Prada gave zero credit to the chappal’s Indian roots or to the craftsmen who make it by hand. A symbol of Maharashtra’s cultural heritage, Kolhapuri chappals trace their roots back to the 12th century and are known for their simplicity, durability, and unique design without nails. In 2019, Kolhapuri chappals received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which protects their regional identity and offers legal protection against imitation. Prada’s cultural appropriation has brought the attention back to a proud symbol of slow, sustainable craftsmanship.

EV giant Tesla has driven into India’s nascent but rapidly expanding EV market, with the launch of Model Y at its first showroom in Mumbai in July 2025. The world’s best-selling EV comes with a minimalist design, long driving range and standard features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision alerts, blind spot monitoring, and lane departure warnings, all for a price tag starting at ₹60 lakh for base models. In a country aiming for 30 percent of new passenger car sales to be electric by 2030, an EV car with a raised benchmark in design, software and battery life spells prestige. This prestige mirrors the advancement of India’s consumer market and purchasing power.