Phase IFoundation
Background
Overview
Understanding the political systems and governance challenges in India's neighborhood is crucial for analyzing regional stability, India's foreign policy, and security implications. UPSC often examines comparative political systems, human rights, and democratic challenges globally and regionally.
Authoritarian regimes are political systems characterized by concentrated power, limited political pluralism, and suppression of dissent. Democratic backsliding refers to the gradual erosion of democratic norms and institutions, often involving executive overreach, weakening of checks and balances, and restrictions on civil liberties, which can manifest as state-led crackdowns.