1. 1857 - The Indian Rebellion, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, begins.
  2. 1858 - British Crown assumes direct control of India from the East India Company.
  3. 1875 - Foundation of the Indian National Congress (INC).
  4. 1885 - The first session of the INC takes place in Bombay.
  5. 1905 - Partition of Bengal leads to widespread protests.
  6. 1906 - Formation of the Muslim League.
  7. 1911 - King George V announces the reversal of the Bengal partition.
  8. 1915 - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returns to India from South Africa.
  9. 1917 - Champaran Satyagraha, Gandhi's first major civil disobedience movement in India.
  10. 1919 - Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar.
  11. 1919 - The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms are introduced.
  12. 1920 - Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Gandhi.
  13. 1922 - Chauri Chaura incident leads to the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
  14. 1927 - The Simon Commission arrives in India, triggering protests.
  15. 1928 - Motilal Nehru presents the Nehru Report, demanding self-government.
  16. 1929 - Jawaharlal Nehru's "A Tryst with Destiny" speech at the Lahore session of the INC.
  17. 1930 - Gandhi's Salt March begins.
  18. 1931 - Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed, leading to the release of political prisoners.
  19. 1935 - Government of India Act passed, granting limited self-governance.
  20. 1937 - Provincial elections held; INC wins in several provinces.
  21. 1939 - World War II begins; India becomes a party without consent.
  22. 1940 - Lahore Resolution passed by the Muslim League, calling for a separate Muslim state.
  23. 1942 - Quit India Movement launched by the INC.
  24. 1943 - Bengal Famine leads to a massive loss of life.
  25. 1944 - Gandhi's talks with Jinnah on the issue of Hindu-Muslim unity.
  26. 1945 - World War II ends; Labour Party comes to power in Britain.
  27. 1946 - The Cabinet Mission arrives in India to propose a new constitution.
  28. 1946 - Direct Action Day in Calcutta results in communal violence.
  29. 1947 - Lord Louis Mountbatten appointed as the last Viceroy of India.
  30. 1947 - The Indian Independence Act passed in the British Parliament.
  31. 1947 - June 3 - Plan for partition announced; Punjab and Bengal divided.
  32. 1947 - August 15 - India gains independence; Jawaharlal Nehru becomes the first Prime Minister.
  33. 1947 - August 15 - Pakistan is established as a separate nation.
  34. 1947 - August 17 - Mahatma Gandhi embarks on a fast for communal harmony.
  35. 1947 - October 26 - Maharaja Hari Singh signs the Instrument of Accession, bringing Jammu and Kashmir into India.
  36. 1948 - January 30 - Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
  37. 1948 - Integration of princely states into India begins.
  38. 1948 - Jammu and Kashmir conflict escalates with the First Indo-Pak War.
  39. 1949 - Constitution of India adopted.
  40. 1950 - India becomes a Republic; Dr. Rajendra Prasad becomes the first President.
  41. 1950 - India's first general elections held.
  42. 1950 - Adoption of the Indian flag and national emblem.
  43. 1951 - First Five-Year Plan launched for economic development.
  44. 1952 - Second general elections held; INC wins under Nehru's leadership.
  45. 1953 - Formation of the linguistic states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka.
  46. 1954 - The Dalai Lama seeks refuge in India after fleeing Tibet.
  47. 1955 - India-China Agreement on Tibet.
  48. 1956 - Reorganization of states on a linguistic basis.
  49. 1957 - India's first atomic reactor, Apsara, goes critical.
  50. 1959 - First general elections in Kerala; Communist Party wins.
  51. 1961 - Liberation of Goa from Portuguese colonial rule.
  52. 1962 - India-China War.
  53. 1964 - Death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
  54. 1965 - India-Pakistan War over Kashmir.
  55. 1966 - Indira Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister.
  56. 1967 - Naxalite movement starts in West Bengal.
  57. 1969 - Nationalization of banks.
  58. 1971 - India-Pakistan War leading to the creation of Bangladesh.
  59. 1974 - India conducts its first successful nuclear test, "Smiling Buddha."
  60. 1975 - Declaration of Emergency by Indira Gandhi.
  61. 1977 - Emergency lifted; Janata Party comes to power.
  62. 1980 - Indira Gandhi returns to power as Prime Minister.
  63. 1984 - Operation Blue Star, an Indian military operation in Amritsar's Golden Temple.
  64. 1984 - Assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
  65. 1984 - Anti-Sikh riots in Delhi.
  66. 1985 - Rajiv Gandhi becomes Prime Minister.
  67. 1986 - Bhopal gas tragedy.
  68. 1989 - Insurgency in Kashmir intensifies.
  69. 1991 - Assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
  70. 1991 - Economic liberalization initiated under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao.
  71. 1998 - India conducts a series of nuclear tests.
  72. 1999 - Kargil War with Pakistan.
  73. 2000 - The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government initiates the Golden Quadrilateral project.
  74. 2001 - Terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament.
  75. 2002 - Communal riots in Gujarat.
  76. 2004 - Indian National Congress returns to power.
  77. 2008 - Terrorist attacks in Mumbai (26/11).
  78. 2014 - Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister.
  79. 2016 - Demonetization of high-denomination currency notes.
  80. 2017 - Implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
  81. 2019 - Abrogation of Article 370, revoking Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
  82. 2020 - COVID-19 pandemic disrupts the world and India.
  83. 2020 - India-China border tensions escalate in the Galwan Valley.
  84. 2021 - Farmers' protests against agricultural reforms gain prominence.
  85. 2021 - Second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hits India.