Over the recent few years, South Asia has witnessed significant politically charged upheavals. Multiple governments have collapsed or have been replaced by authoritarian or military regimes. Back in January 2021, India’s neighbourhood presented a relatively stable political picture, with India, Nepal and Bangladesh functioning as democratic republics; Bhutan maintaining its stability as a constitutional monarchy; Afghanistan operating under a presidential republic; Myanmar had a civilian government and Sri Lanka followed a semi-presidential system. There was a broad presence of democratically elected structures, suggesting that despite the presence of governance challenges, the region was broadly committed to representative political systems.

However, by September 2025, the regional order has drastically transformed itself. Afghanistan is now completely under the Taliban regime, essentially marking the complete collapse of its democratic system. Pakistan has, once again, gone back to military rule following the downfall of its elected government. Sri Lanka has undergone another phase of regime change amidst economic and political unrest. Bangladesh, once considered a relatively stable electoral democracy, now finds itself governed by an interim authoritarian regime following the breakdown of its democratic institutions and the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina regime. Myanmar, too, remains embroiled in a devastating civil war, with the military junta facing armed........

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