In Pics: From Modi 2.0 to 1st Rafale Flight, India Had a Busy 2019

Photo story on few of the most significant development in India throughout 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to the 40 slain CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack in February. A CRPF convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on 14 February 2019.

(Photo: PTI)

2019 in India has been a political whirlwind – from the Modi Gvernment 2.0’s historic win, to losing a number of high-profile bigwigs, to unusually fluid alliances and break-ups.

Here’s a round-up of the photos that captured iconic moments from the past year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, arrive at the BJP office after the party’s clean sweep in the Lok Sabha elections this year. The election result was declared on 21 May 2019, with the BJP-led NDA securing 351 seats out of the total 542 seats.

BJP leader and former Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s family, along with BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda pay respects to the former Union Minister’s body, after she passed away due to a prolonged illness on 6 August 2019.

Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar arrives to present the State Budget in the Goa Legislative Assembly, in Panaji, on 30 January 2019. Parrikar passed away due to pancreatic cancer on 17 March 2019.

Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram after being produced in the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with the INX Media corruption case, in New Delhi, 15 October 2019. The former finance minister remained in custody for 106 days before he was granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leaves after visiting her office for the first time following her appointment to the party post, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi, on 6 February 2019.

Mortal remains of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley being taken to Nigam Bodh Ghat for cremation from BJP HQ, in New Delhi, Sunday, 25 August 2019. Jaitley, 66, died at AIIMS on 24 August 2019.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, AP CM Na Chandrababu Naidu and other Opposition leaders join hands together during Trinamool Congress (TMC)s mega rally Brigade Samavesh in Kolkata on Saturday, 19 January 2019.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes a sortie in the Rafale aircraft in France.

Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and his deputy G Parameshwara with other members during the Assembly session at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on 15 July 2019. The Janata Dal Secular-Congress coalition government was to face its trust vote.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray bows at his oath-taking ceremony in Mumbai. The Maharashtra Assembly elections ended after more than a month of power struggle between the Shiv Sena, the BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party. The Shiv Sena formed government after striking an alliance with the NCP and the Congress party.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pays homage to the 40 slain CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack in February. A CRPF convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on 14 February 2019.

Jharkhand Chief Minister-designate Hemant Soren meets Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi, Wednesday, 25 December, 2019. The JMM - Congress alliance won the Jharkhand Assembly polls by securing 46 seats in the 81-seat state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Kartarpur corridor, a visa-free border crossing and secure corridor, connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to the border with India. The crossing allows Sikh devotees from India to visit the gurdwara in Kartarpur, 4.7 kilometres (2.9 miles) from the India–Pakistan border without a visa, creating a link which allows pilgrims holding Indian passports to easily visit both the Kartarpur shrine and Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak on the Pakistani side of the border.

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister being greeted by his father, Ajay Singh Chautala after the latter was released from jail to see his son take oath after allying with the BJP to form the government in Haryana.

Bollywood superstars Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan take a selfie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event to mark Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary year, in New Delhi, Saturday, 19 October 2019. 

Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, with his Marshals. The Rajya Sabha Marshals were spotted wearing a different outfit during this year’s winter session. The dress was later changed back to the old Indian wear after massive criticism over the change. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the Howdy Modi event in Houston, Texas. PM Modi addressed a huge gathering of 50,000 Indian-Americans at the NRG Stadium, in a boost to US-India relations.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit passed away on 20 July 2019.

Former defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman meets WIng Commander Abhinandan after he was released by Pakistan following his capture after the Balakot airstrikes. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoles ISRO chairman K Sivan, after the latter broke down as Chandrayaan-2’s moon landing could not complete its final step. The Vikram lander lost contact with ISRO during the last stage of descent on 7 September.