Trump’s return, PM Modi’s carpool and Pikachu: Images that define world politics in 2025 india news

In a year of seismic changes – from Donald Trump’s return to the White House to PM Modi-Russian President Vladimir Putin PutinDiplomatic carpools and Nepal’s fiery protests – cameras captured the raw drama of global politics. These images, combining power, conflict and unlikely alliances, expressed the turbulent geopolitical pulse of 2025.2025 was, in many ways, the year of Trump. As the holder of the world’s most powerful office – its power greatly enhanced by Trump himself being the incumbent – ​​he cast a long shadow over global affairs, ensuring that much of the year’s political drama revolved around him.So it’s no surprise that many of the year’s most fascinating political photos involve Trump. However, compelling images also emerged from elsewhere in the world, capturing moments of power, protest, and political churning far beyond the United States.Here’s a look at the pictures that define world politics in 2025Inauguration: The image of Trump being sworn in for his second presidential term seemed unrealistic, even though he had already won the November 2024 election. The Republican was sworn in as America’s 47th Commander-in-Chief.

Tech billionaires, assembled: Not exactly a political photo, yet it was taken at a political event—Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg sat together, a spectacular display of political power as well as tech leaders.

Trudeau’s sun has finally faded: A clearly frustrated Justin Trudeau, facing growing unpopularity and increasing pressure within his party, announced on January 6 that he would resign as Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the ruling Liberal Party, effective after a new leader is elected to both roles, ending his third term and 11 years as premier.

Freedom, at last: Emotions ran high on January 19, when Hamas released three Israeli women, the first of 251 hostages taken to Gaza during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Their release ended 470 painful—yet hopeful—days of separation for them and their families.

Controversy: ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky The first tense White House meeting with Trump took place on February 28. In the eyes of the world press, Vice President J.D. Vance blasted Zelensky for “not thanking” the US for supporting Ukraine against Russia, and Trump later questioned his counterpart’s choice of military-style attire.

‘Pikachu’ in Turkish: The image of a Turkish demonstrator dressed as the much-loved cartoon character Pikachu on March 28 made the Pokémon an unexpected face of resistance during protests against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on alleged corruption charges.

Alaska Red Carpet: Trump and Putin, meeting for the first time in the US leader’s second term, walked together for talks on Ukraine in Anchorage. The talks, held on August 15, ended without any results, but Putin made headlines by using English in such a rare instance: “Next time in Moscow.”

The ‘New World Order’ and ‘Carpool’: In photos clearly intended to send a message to the West, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was photographed with the Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China on September 1.

In another notable moment, PM Modi and Putin “carpooled” to the summit venue, arriving together in the Russian leader’s ultra-luxury armored limousine – a gesture that would be repeated a few months later.

Xi’s show of power: On September 3, Xi Jinping made a show of strength by welcoming both Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Beijing, marking the first time that the three leaders appeared together in public. The occasion was a massive Chinese military parade held to commemorate 80 years of the country’s victory over Japan in World War II.

Nepal burnt: After Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024, it was the turn of India’s third neighbour, Nepal, to see citizens stand up against the incumbent government. On September 9, youth-led protests escalated dramatically, as the Prime Minister resigned and the Himalayan nation’s parliament was set on fire.

caught on camera: One moment speaking, the next shot – fatally. Right-wing activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk was murdered at a campus event on September 10, an assassination captured on video that shocked the American political landscape.

Apologies’: In a photo released by the White House, Trump picked up the phone and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was talking to his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman. The September 29 call was an “apology” – perhaps even a scripted one, as Netanyahu read it in a paper – for Israel’s unprecedented strikes targeting the Hamas leadership in Doha, which angered both the US and Qatar.

‘Boss’ is here: Perhaps no other image has illustrated the power of the American presidency more clearly than the image of the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on October 13. Trump arrived after keeping more than two dozen world leaders waiting, then addressed the gathering as they stood behind him — a spectacular display of American primacy.

Al-Sharaa at the White House: The office of the US President was the site of another stunning image of the year – a former terrorist in the White House. On November 10, Trump hosted Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa for the first presidential visit to the US by a leader of the civil war-torn country.

‘You can just say yes’: Trump’s meeting with Bette Noir and the mayor-elect of New York City on November 21 Zohran Mamdani Ended without any drama. When a reporter asked Mamdani if ​​he still believed the president was a fascist, Trump sensed his guest’s hesitation and interjected, “That’s OK, you (Mamdani) can just say yes.”

Carpool 2.0: PM Modi broke protocol and personally welcomed Putin when he arrived in Delhi on December 4 for a two-day visit. He traveled from the airport to the PM’s residence – in the Prime Minister’s own official vehicle – a role reversal from their previous shared visit.

The ‘Epstein Files’ and Highlights: In the images circulated around the world, celebrities such as Donald Trump (without any attribution), Bill Gates, former British royal Andrew and Bill Clinton appeared in photographs released periodically, first by the Congressional Oversight Committee and later by the US Justice Department on December 19. Together, the release emphasizes how the case of convicted sex offender Epstein has long loomed large over elite networks, raising enduring questions about accountability, influence and institutional silence.

The ‘Prince’ returns: Thousands of people lined the streets of Dhaka on December 25 to welcome the return of ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son Tariq Rahman to Bangladesh after spending 17 years in London. Rahman is widely expected to become the country’s next prime minister after general elections in February 2026. Zia, the country’s first woman Prime Minister, died on December 30.

What’s in store in 2026?

2026 will be the second year of Trump’s final term, giving him two more years as the holder of the world’s most powerful office – enough time to shape events on a global scale. Other world leaders may also be looking to assert their influence. Therefore, the coming year promises new—hopefully positive—images, unexpected moments and defining events that will continue to capture the world’s attention.