The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens, as

long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids includingHomo erectus from ab
out 500,000 years ago.[1]
The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern p
art of the Indian subcontinent from c. 3300 to 1300 BCE in present-day Pakistan
and northwest India, was the first major civilization in South Asia.[2] A sophis
ticated and technologically advanced urban culture developed in the Mature Harap
pan period, from 2600 to 1900 BCE.[3] This civilization collapsed at the start o
f the second millennium BCE and was later followed by the Iron Age Vedic Civiliz
ation, which extended over much of the Indo-Gangetic plain and which witness the
rise of major polities known as the Mahajanapadas. In one of these kingdoms, Ma
gadha, Mahavira and Gautama Buddha were born in the 6th or 5th century BCE and p
ropagated their Shramanic philosophies.
Most of the subcontinent was conquered by the Maurya Empire during the 4th and 3
rd centuries BCE. Various parts of India were ruled by numerous Middle kingdoms
for the next 1,500 years, among which the Gupta Empire stands out. This period,
witnessing a Hindu religious and intellectual resurgence, is known as the classi
cal or "Golden Age of India". During this period, aspects of Indian civilization
, administration, culture, and religion (Hinduism and Buddhism) spread to much o
f Asia, while kingdoms in southern India had maritime business links with the Ro
man Empire from around 77 CE. During this period Indian cultural influence sprea
d over many parts of Southeast Asia which led to the establishment of Indianized
kingdoms in Southeast Asia.[4]
7th-11th centuries saw the Tripartite struggle between the Pala Empire, Rashtrak
uta Empire, and Gurjara Pratihara Empire centered aroundKannauj. Southern India
saw the rule of the Chalukya Empire, Chola Empire, Pallava Empire, Pandyan Empir
e, and Western Chalukya Empire. The early medieval period Indian mathematics inf
luenced the development of mathematics and astronomy in the Arab world and theHi
ndu numerals were introduced.[5]
Muslim rule started in some parts of north India in the 13th century when the De
lhi Sultanate was established in 1206 CE.[6] The Delhi Sultanate ruled the major
part of northern India in the early 14th century, but declined in the late 14th
century, which saw the emergence of several powerful Hindu states like the Vija
yanagara Empire, Gajapati Kingdom, Ahom Kingdom and Mewar dynasty. In the 16th c
enturyMughal rule came from Central Asia to cover most of the northern parts of
India. The Mughal Empire suffered a gradual decline in the early 18th century, w
hich provided opportunities for the Maratha Empire, Sikh Empire and Mysore Kingd
om to exercise control over large areas in the subcontinent.[7][8]
Beginning in the late 18th century and over the next century, large areas of Ind
ia were annexed by the British East India Company. Dissatisfaction with Company
rule led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857, after which the British provinces of I
ndia were directly administered by the British Crown and witnessed a period of b
oth rapid development of infrastructure and economic stagnation. During the firs
t half of the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched
with the leading party involved being the Indian National Congress which was lat
er joined by Muslim League as well.
The subcontinent gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, after the
British provinces were partitioned into the dominions of India and Pakistan and
the princely states all acceded to one of the new states.