On December 5, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fired off a series of pointed social media posts, accusing the US State Department of orchestrating a plot to destabilize New Delhi. By invoking the term “deep state”—a phrase steeped in nationalist rhetoric—the BJP claimed that Washington’s deep state actors, journalists, and political opponents like Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party are secretly undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. This claim is crystal clear to their supporters.

At the heart of these accusations is a deep dive into US funding channels, particularly those backing the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Citing reports from a respected French investigative outlet, BJP officials maintain that nearly half of OCCRP’s funding comes directly from the US State Department. These findings, which cover a wide range from government surveillance methods to the financial dealings of billionaire Gautam Adani, are painted not as simple journalistic investigations but as deliberate tools of strategic interference. This has led many political analysts to openly question the impartiality of these investigations.

Spokesperson Sambit Patra linked this funding to a wider campaign aimed at discrediting Modi’s administration. He pointed to a range of US policies—on human rights, Indian democracy, the issue of Sikh separatism, and Bangladesh’s political unrest—as parts of a larger agenda. Critics dismiss these claims as nothing more than a smokescreen, especially with razor-thin re-election margins looming. Meanwhile, BJP supporters insist that exposing external interference is vital for preserving national integrity.

These contentious claims have surfaced at a critical time, even as US-India ties are being strengthened. Recently, the United States has bolstered bilateral security by sharing critical intelligence during Chinese border provocations, offering sanctions waivers to facilitate business with Iran, and readjusting its approach to Russian energy. While many see these actions as reinforcing the alliance, skeptics rightly wonder if Washington’s motives are purely strategic or if less transparent agendas are at play.

The BJP’s embrace of the term “deep state” mirrors narratives familiar in the United States, particularly those championed by allies of President-elect Trump, who have long criticized bureaucratic overreach. By linking domestic opponents to a supposed deep state agenda, the BJP not only takes aim at its political rivals but also aligns itself with like-minded movements abroad. This conversation comes as debates over government authority heat up in the US, underscored by figures like Harmeet Dhillon—recently nominated to lead the Justice Department’s civil rights division.

At home, these allegations have sparked fierce debate. Opposition leaders and investigative journalists are accused of leveraging critical reports—especially those probing the intricate legal and financial maze surrounding the Adani Group—to hamper India’s economic progress. Recent US claims of bribery involving Adani and his associates, which both the billionaire and the BJP dismiss as politically motivated and baseless, have only deepened the controversy.

On the regional stage, New Delhi now faces a host of complex foreign policy challenges. A recent meeting in Dhaka between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Bangladeshi interim leader Muhammad Yunus was widely seen as an effort to ease tensions after a series of provocative incidents, including a sedition charge against a prominent Hindu monk and an attack on a Bangladeshi diplomatic facility in Tripura. In Pakistan, the politically charged indictment of former ISI chief Faiz Hameed blurs the lines between intelligence operations and political maneuvering, highlighting the delicate balance India must maintain between these two realms.

India is also taking a hard look at its long-standing ties with Syria. Once bonded by mutual support on issues like Kashmir and major energy investments, this relationship now faces critical scrutiny amid the post-Assad political chaos, adding to growing concerns over regional stability.

Further complicating matters, two Sri Lankan nationals connected to the influential Rajapaksa family were recently sanctioned by the US State Department on corruption charges. Announced on International Anti-Corruption Day, these sanctions are part of a broader US initiative aimed at dismantling entrenched power structures in South Asia. While Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, welcomed the move, some observers rightly suspect that these steps might be less about eradicating corruption and more about advancing broader US geopolitical interests in the region.

In response to these sweeping allegations, a US Embassy spokesperson in New Delhi called the charges "disappointing" while reaffirming Washington’s commitment to press freedom and editorial independence. Both the OCCRP and the French investigative outlets have consistently rejected the BJP’s claims, arguing that they twist legitimate journalism for political ends. Yet, the undeniable fact of significant US State Department funding for OCCRP continues to fuel demands for a closer examination of its objectivity.

Ultimately, the BJP’s ‘deep state’ claims come off as a calculated move in a larger power game that weaves India’s foreign policy into its domestic politics. As these allegations stoke nationalist sentiment and distract from internal challenges, they risk undermining one of India’s most crucial alliances—its strategic partnership with the United States. With an ever-more complex geopolitical landscape on the horizon, the pressing question is whether the robust US-India alliance can weather these politically charged accusations, or if the pressure of a polarized narrative will eventually fracture this long-standing relationship.