See also:
1996 in India,
other events of 1997,
1998 in India and the
Timeline of Indian history.
February
- February 7 - An alliance of Sikh and Hindu nationalist parties wins a resounding victory over the Congress in state assembly elections in Punjab.
- February 28 - The government is strengthened by a daring, market friendly budget.
March
April
July
August
September
- September 9 - 49 senior Hindu politicians and religious figures are charged with conspiracy and incitement to riot for their alleged role in the sacking of the Babri mosque at Ayodhya in 1992.
October
- October 12-18 - Queen Elizabeth II pays a state visit to India.
- October 21 - Violence erupts in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly during a vote of confidence on the Hindu nationalist state government. Deputies trade blows on the floor of the assembly in the state capital of Lucknow and hurl chairs and microphones at each other. A dozen lawmakers are injured and several journalists are also hurt. The BJP's one-month-old government headed by chief minister Kalyan Singh lost key support in a hung assembly on October 19 when the Bahujan Samaj Party withdrew its support, plunging India's most populous state into a political crisis. The government wins the confidence vote after opposition members walk out in protest against the violence in the hall. Federal rule over the state is imposed the same day, but later canceled.
November
- November 20 - Congress threatens to withdraw support for the United Front if it does not drop the regional Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party from the government after the DMK was linked by an investigative panel to Sri Lankan separatists blamed for the killing of Rajiv Gandhi.
- November 23 - Prasar Bharati established
- November 26 - The United Front rejects the Congress demand to expel the DMK.
- November 28 - Prime Minister Gujral resigns after the Congress party withdrew support from his government.
December
- December 4 - The president orders mid-term elections.
- December 29 - Sonia Gandhi, Italian-born widow of Rajiv Gandhi, announces her decision to join the Congress election campaign.
- TRAI (telecom regulator) is established
