The origins of an Indus valley civilization may be traced back to the third millennium BC. By the 3rd century BC, the Mauryan kingdom under Ashoka encompassed most of modern India. Following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, British rule û through the East India Company û was consolidated.
* 1885 Indian National Congress formed to press for political reform.
* 1919 Act of parliament for "responsible government."
* 1920û1922 Mahatma Gandhi's first civil disobedience campaign.
* 1930û1933 Further civil disobedience action.
* 1935 Government of India act.
* 1936 First elections under new constitution.
* 1942û1943 "Quit India" movement.
* 1947 August: independence and partition into India and Pakistan. Jawarhalal Nehru becomes first prime minister.
* 1948 Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. War with Pakistan over Kashmir. India becomes a republic.
* 1951û1952 First general election won by Congress party.
* 1957 Second elections won by Congress. First elected communist government anywhere installed in Kerala.
* 1960 Bombay divided into states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
* 1962 Congress party reelected. Brief border war with China.
* 1964 Death of Nehru. Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes prime minister.
* 1965 Second war with Pakistan over Kashmir.
* 1966 Shastri dies, Indira Gandhi (daughter of Jawarhalal Nehru) becomes prime minister.
* 1967 Congress again wins majority at elections. Opposition takes control of several states.
* 1969 Split of Congress party into two factions, the larger of which is led by Indira Gandhi.
* 1971 Indira Gandhi's Congress party wins elections. Friendship Treaty signed with USSR. Third war with Pakistan, over creation of Bangladesh; army occupies East Pakistan and recognizes it as independent state of Bangladesh.
* 1972 Simla Agreement signed with Pakistan.
* 1974 Explosion of first nuclear device in underground test.
* 1975û1977 Growing anti-government protest movement. Mass civil disobedience. State of emergency imposed. Many opposition leaders arrested. Elections postponed.
* 1977 General election. Congress defeated and People's Party (JD) GOVERNMENT COMES TO POWER, WITH MORARJI DESAI AS PRIME MINISTER.
* 1978 New political group, Congress (Indira) û Congress (I) û FORMALLY ESTABLISHED. CONFLICT WITHIN JD.
* 1979 Desai resigns.
* 1980 Indira Gandhi's C(I) WINS GENERAL ELECTION.
* 1984 Unrest in Punjab. Golden Temple of Amritsar, occupied by armed Sikhs, stormed by Indian army troops. Assassination of Indira Gandhi by members of her bodyguard. Her son Rajiv becomes prime minister.
* 1985 Assam and Punjab Accords.
* 1987 Former finance and defense minister V. P. Singh expelled from C(I) AND BECOMES LEADER OF OPPOSITION. FOLLOWING SIGNING OF ACCORD, INDIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE STATIONED IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA TO COMBAT TAMIL TERRORISTS.
* 1988 Punjab unrest continues. Golden Temple in Amritsar again stormed by army.
* 1989 Blockade of Nepal following disagreement on foreign policy and migration. Sri Lankan president Premadasa orders Indian troops to leave, but new accord postpones this. Right-wing Hindu party, the BJP, WINS 86 SEATS IN ELECTIONS. MINORITY NATIONAL FRONT GOVERNMENT FORMED WITH V. P. SINGH AS PRIME MINISTER.
* 1990 Withdrawal of peacekeeping troops stationed in Sri Lanka. BJP LEADER LAL ADVANI ARRESTED. NO- CONFIDENCE MOTION IN PARLIAMENT; CHANDRA SHEKHAR PRIME MINISTER OF MINORITY GOVERNMENT.
* 1991 February: Rajiv Gandhi overthrows minority government. May: Rajiv Gandhi assassinated during polling in general elections. P. V. Narasimha Rao becomes prime minister in C(I) MINORITY GOVERNMENT. PROGRAM OF ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION AND REFORM INTRODUCED IN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE HUGE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS, INCLUDING BALANCE OF PAYMENTS CRISIS. GOVERNMENT REMOVES TRADE BARRIERS AND ENCOURAGES FOREIGN AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
* 1992 Major financial scandal involving Bombay Stock Exchange. Demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque at Ayodhya by Hindu extremists. Resultant widespread violence leaves 1,200 people dead.
* 1993 Resurgence of riots leaves over 500 dead in Bombay. Explosions rock Bombay Stock Exchange.
