Can democracy in South Asia withstand US-China rivalry?

Overall, the outlook for democracy in South Asia appears grim, with ongoing shifts towards authoritarianism and mobocracy showing little sign of reversal. The impact on stability in the region as well as global geopolitics will continue to unfold, as major powers navigate this complex and volatile landscape.

Meanwhile, over the past decade, China’s influence in South Asia has grown through the Belt and Road Initiative, which South Asian nations such as Sri Lanka and the Maldives have joined. Infrastructure projects and cultural exchanges have shifted public perception, advancing China’s interests. This growing influence troubles New Delhi, as it affects India’s soft power and relationships with neighbouring countries.

The US is engaged in a strategic chess game, with its foreign policy increasingly focused on countering China’s growing influence in the region. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is also one such move to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative in South Asia.

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How India-Maldives tension was sparked by an online row over tourism

The competing interests of major powers are reshaping South Asia’s dynamics, presenting both challenges and opportunities that will have significant global repercussions.

Sagina Walyat is an India-based constitutional lawyer and AsiaGlobal Fellow at the University of Hong Kong