1st of May, International Workers' Day, was celebrated with demonstrations and parades across Asia. In many countries, workers, students, progressives and communists organized marches, mass rallies and demonstrations to mark the occasion.
Popular demonstrations held across Asia for 1st of May
India
Hundreds of thousands of workers marched all across India for International Workers Day, using the opportunity to protest against the growing cost of living crisis in the country, as well as against worsening labor conditions. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) held demonstrations across the country, such as in Solapur, Mumbai, New Delhi and more, with the members of their Central Committee participating in many protest marches and assemblies. In Uttar Pradesh, the government put the leaders of the CPI(M) under house arrest to stop them from attending the demonstrations.
May Day in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan saw more than 4,000 workers assemble at the Collector's office to protest against the exploitation of workers and the repression unleashed in the National Capital Region and elsewhere. The workers took a stand against the Labour Codes and demanded the protection of the 8-hour workday, the right to unionise, and a minimum wage of at least 26,000 linked to inflation.
Rama Krushna Panda, National Secretary of the Communist Party of India, led a workers’ rally at Jurudi, Keonjhar, addressing the May Day celebration organised by the AITUC-affiliated Keonjhar Mines and Forest Workers Union (KMFWU).
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the ruling People’s Liberation Front (JVP) held mass rallies on the occasion of International Workers Day.
Vietnam
In Hanoi, around 1.000 workers and trade union members joined a parade in Hanoi on April 28 to celebrate the 140th anniversary of International Workers’ Day, organised by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Communist Party of Vietnam. Addressing the event, Thai Thu Xuong, standing vice chairwoman of the VGCL, noted that over the past 140 years, International Workers’ Day has become a symbol of the global labour movement, providing a chance to honour the value of labour and the strength of the working class in the development of humanity. Furthermore, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on April 28 attended a ceremony in Hanoi marking the 140th anniversary of International Workers’ Day and honouring 101 outstanding grassroots trade union leaders for their work in dialogue and collective bargaining in 2026.
Pakistan
Dozens of rallies and demonstrations were held in Pakistan, attended by thousands of workers, including in provinces like Balochistan. The Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) attended these rallies, hailing the martyrs of Chicago and all those who fell for the international workers’ cause.
