For the last five years, the Indian subcontinent has been in the grip of recurring political and social unrest. From the Myanmar, Maldives to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and now Nepal, one common thread binds these crises together: each of these nations is India’s immediate neighbour, and each finds itself caught between India’s influence, China’s ambitions and US deep state political influence.

What makes these upheavals more intriguing are three undeniable patterns:

• They are invariably directed against the ruling governments.
• They are overwhelmingly driven by the youth.
• And most strikingly, they lack identifiable leaders or faces.

History has taught us that revolutions without leaders are rare and often artificial. The question then arises—who is orchestrating these leaderless uprisings? The answer lies in the shadowy chessboard of global geopolitics, where powerful nations are vying to expand influence across South Asia.

The Regional Flashpoints in Indian Subcontinents

Maldives: China has long courted Male with investments and strategic promises, leveraging the nation’s crucial location in the Indian Ocean. By pouring money into campaigns, Beijing has successfully cultivated a pro-China, anti-India government.

Sri Lanka: Here too, China’s financial footprint is heavy. Decades of political funding and loans have culminated in the Hambantota Port being handed over to Chinese control, a stark example of “debt-trap diplomacy.” The recent economic crisis bore all the hallmarks of external orchestration, designed to weaken Colombo’s independence.

Bangladesh: Unlike Maldives and Sri Lanka, the unrest here has deeper ideological roots. International agencies in particular US agencies have long encouraged hardline Islamist narratives. Under Sheikh Hasina, India and Bangladesh shared one of their warmest bilateral phases, resolving border disputes and deepening cooperation. This did not sit well with either China or the U.S. Recent turmoil points to foreign funding, seeking to destabilize a government aligned too closely with New Delhi.

Nepal: The Himalayan nation has become a fresh battleground. Following the SCO summit, where India, Russia, and China drew closer, Washington appeared eager to signal displeasure. Faceless protests erupted—fuelled partly by restrictions on social media platforms, striking at the heart of a Gen Z population deeply tied to digital life. Unlike traditional protests, these movements are powered by algorithms and platforms, many of which are controlled by U.S. companies.

The Bigger Picture

The reality is stark: the U.S. and China are engaged in a tug-of-war across South Asia. The battleground? India’s neighbourhood. Their shared goal? Keep India perpetually distracted by regional instability, preventing it from consolidating its rise as a global power.

India itself has not been immune. Farmer protests, the NRC debate, and other agitations bear signs of external agencies. Yet, India’s resilience lies in its strong leadership and popular mandate—factors that have, so far, blunted the full impact of “deep state” interventions.

The Social Media : The new Wildcard for fueling unrest: A new and troubling element in this story is the role of social media. In Nepal, a ban on certain platforms acted as a spark for unrest, underscoring the enormous influence of digital networks. Social media is not just a tool of communication; it is now a tool of control, narrative-building, and even destabilization. Its addictive grip on younger generations makes it both a weapon and a liability.

What Lies Ahead for India

The message is clear: South Asia will remain volatile as long as U.S.-China rivalries intensify. Neighbours like Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal will continue to bear the brunt, and India will inevitably feel the ripple effects. For New Delhi, vigilance is paramount.

India cannot afford complacency. It must strengthen internal resilience, invest in regional goodwill, and anticipate that attempts to stir unrest within its own borders will grow more frequent. For global players, South Asia may be a chessboard. But for India, it is home—and its stability is non-negotiable.