印度是世界上最大的民主國家，採用議會及政黨政治，故印度大選是觀察印度政治發展的重要事件。國大黨雖然在2004年大選及2009年兩度贏得大選，並重新在中央執政迄今，但以往的國大黨獨大體制已經不復存，代之而起的是聯盟政治。除此之外，印度政治在2004年之後還可以觀察到幾個持續性的發展與趨勢，包括地方主義的挑戰、宗教認同的政治化、「甘地─尼赫魯家族」政治的復興等特色。這些政治發展基本上構成了當前印度政治的主要架構，也是觀察印度發展的重要指標。

Being the largest democracy in the world, India has adopted the parliamentary system of government and party politics. Therefore, general elections are the most significant political events in India, which deserves to be observed closely. Although Indian National Congress (INC) won the 2004 and 2009 general elections, the one-party dominant system under the Congress does not reign India today. Instead, the two general elections have once again revealed that India has entered into the phase of coalition politics. In addition, the post-2004 Indian politics has been characterised by the challenges from localism, politicization of religious identity and the revival of Nehru-Gandhi family's rule. These developments and trends have shaped Indian politics since 2004.