1995 Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act of 1985 lapsed (May). INSAT 2C and IRSI-C launched. 1996 Congress suffered worst ever electoral defeat. Minority Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Vajpayee resigns after thirteen days (May). HD Deve Gowda PM, leading 13-party United Front (1 June). Tariff rates brought down to 24.6 per cent between1996-97. 1997 At Banqueting Hall, London, Prime Minister John Major gave a banquet in honour of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to mark the fiftieth anniversary of independence of those respective countries. He declared these countries shared ‘common values’ with the UK. Congress withdrew support from United Front Government; I.K. Gujaral sworn in Prime Minister. Queen Elizabeth II visit (October). Labour Foreign Secretary Robin Cook accompanied the Queen on visit to India and Pakistan. Cook offered, in private, to mediate over Kashmir. Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral was reported to have commented that Britain was a ‘third rate power poking its nose in.’ 1998 BJP formed coalition government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (March). India exploded second nuclear device (Pokhran II). FDI increased to US$3.370 billion over the year. 1999 Vajpayee’s historic bus trip to Pakistan: signed bilateral Lahore peace declaration (February). Brief war with Pakistan-backed forces in Kargil, Indian-held Kashmir (May). Cyclone devastated State of Orissa: nearly 10,000 left dead. Indian Airlines plane hijacked by terrorists and taken to Kandahar, Afghanistan (December). 2000 US President Bill Clinton visited India (Mar.). India’s population estimated to have reached one billion. 2001 Gujarat Earthquake (Jan.): at least 30,000 dead; Tehelka.Com screened videotaped recordings which revealed arms deals and kickbacks to Indian Army officials, ministers and politicians (March). Agra Summit between India and Pakistan ended in stalemate (July). Two aeroplanes crash into World Trade Centre in New York – commencement of the ‘War on Terror’ (11 September). USA lifts sanctions imposed against India and Pakistan after they staged nuclear tests in 1998: linked to both countries’ support for US-led antiterror campaign (Sept.). Launch of the war in Afghanistan by USA, UK and others against the Taliban government and Al-Qaeda (October). Parliament in New Delhi attacked by suicide squad, killing several police. Five gunmen died (December). India and Pakistan mass troops on common border.
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