I was doing a little reading the other day and I read something that called the Indian subcontinent of 1500 as an era of strangled nations, drawing a comparison between Europe where at this time the basic blocks that would be comprise different states coalesced and stayed more or less similar throughout history, with clearly defined geographical subunits that could be traded and swapped and claims that a similar process had occurred in India but was reversed by Mughal imperialism. So your challenge should you choose to accept it is with a pod in 1500, create a system of alliances in the indian subcontinent and it’s immediate environment where there are at least five independent "great powers" attempting to create a balance of power and prevent a continental hegemon in the following centuries. Bonus points if it’s not just an attempt to find an indian analogue for each of the european great powers and plonk otl european history into India but with different names and takes into account the indian context. How many powers outside the indian subcontinent can you draw into these alliances? The Indonesian sultanates? Thailand? Sri Lanka? Iran? Turan?
Please avoid ideas where you arrive at an Islamic coalition that is opposed to a Hindu coalition.
Please avoid ideas where you arrive at an Islamic coalition that is opposed to a Hindu coalition.