Editor's Pick | Short Forms 2025

Curated by Malancha Chakrabarty and Stelin Paul

As 2025 draws to a close, we look back on a year of intense geopolitical pressures, transformative domestic policies, and India's drive for innovation amid uncertainty. The Editor’s Pick series, our yearly highlight, spotlights the year's standout ORF short reads—chosen through reader engagement and editorial curation.

Regionally, India's deft handling of flashpoints like Myanmar border operations, Bangladesh trade halts, Pakistan frictions, and Russia-Pakistan ties sparked keen interest. At home, discussions on labour overhauls, Budget 2025's healthcare and green energy focus, Jan Aushadhi growth, women's unpaid labour, AI disruptions, semiconductors, and climate impacts on education struck a chord, charting routes to resilient progress.

On the world stage, China's military woes, PLARF threats, US pharma tariffs, UK FTA wins, BRICS partnerships with Russia, and Japan-South Korea tech alliances fueled debate. Social media radicalisation rounded out talks on security, trade, and tech frontiers.

This Editors' Pick collection weaves together these critical threads, capturing 2025's pivotal narratives.