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India leads world in demonstrations for fifth straight year: ACLED data

India recorded 18,074 demonstrations through September 2026, accounting for 17.5% of the global total, even as official data on agitations remains unavailable since 2016.

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Over the past few years, India’s share of global demonstrations has risen, while the US share has declined. India accounted for 10.6 per cent of demonstrations worldwide in 2020 | Representative Image

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India has accounted for the largest share of demonstrations worldwide for five consecutive years, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a US-based nonprofit that tracks political violence and demonstrations in real time.

The country recorded 18,074 demonstrations in 2026 through September, accounting for 17.5 per cent of the global total, the data shows. In the past 10 years, demonstrations peaked at 22,130 in 2024 -- the year of general election -- before easing to 20,606 in 2025.

Over the past few years, India’s share of global demonstrations has risen, while the US share