Bangladesh’s national election on Thursday may shift South Asia’s geopolitical balance as China expands influence while India’s regional standing weakens. The vote follows last year’s student uprising that toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who remains sheltered in India despite extradition requests.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus has deepened ties with China and Pakistan, with analysts calling the pivot “irreversible.” China recently signed a defense agreement for a drone plant near India’s border and granted duty-free access to Bangladeshi goods. Indian former diplomat Dilip Sinha acknowledged “China delivers infrastructure in a way India cannot.”