Last Updated:December 26, 2025, 15:31 IST As 2026 nears, India will be hoping that the democratic process in its neighbourhood, however imperfect, restores a measure of predictability along its restless eastern frontier Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh will hold key elections in early 2026. (Representational Image) India finds itself ringed by political uncertainty, with Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh all grappling with unstable or interim regimes as 2026 is almost here. The churn in these neighbouring nations, marked by power struggles, street unrest and shifting alliances, has direct implications for India’s security calculus, diplomacy, trade and border management. For India, the absence of stable, popularly elected governments across its eastern flank translates into a period of strategic ambiguity. All three nations are slated to go to the polls in early 2026, raising hopes of a gradual return to elected rule. Why does it matter? In the absence of a clear political authority, India is forced to engage with multiple centres of power like the military, interim administrations, student groups, radical outfits and even actors backed by external …