The Indo-Guyanese trace their arrival to the system of indentured labor introduced by the British after the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Beginning on May 5, 1838, with the arrival of the ships Whitby and Hesperus in what was then British Guiana, thousands of Indians—mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar—came to work on sugar plantations. Despite harsh plantation conditions, they preserved their religion, festivals, and traditions by building mandirs and masjids, organizing community gatherings, and celebrating Diwali, Phagwah (Holi), and Eid with devotion and unity. Over time, they maintained their languages, food, music, and family values, passing these on through generations and ensuring their cultural identity remained strong while adapting to Guyanese society.

Nalanda University was one of the world’s first great residential universities, established in the 5th century CE in present-day Bihar, India, and it attracted scholars from across Asia, including China, Korea, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. It was a renowned center for studies in Buddhism, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and logic. In the late 12th century, the university was tragically destroyed when the forces of Bakhtiyar Khilji invaded the region around 1193 CE; its vast libraries were set ablaze, and historical accounts suggest that the manuscripts burned for months, marking a devastating loss to global knowledge. In modern times, Nalanda has been revived as Nalanda University, re-established in 2010 near the original site as an international institution supported by several Asian countries. Today, it functions as a postgraduate research university focusing on sustainable development, historical studies, ecology, Buddhist studies, and international relations, symbolizing the restoration of India’s ancient academic legacy.

In the modern era, artificial intelligence has become one of the most transformative technologies shaping humanity’s future. While many nations primarily concentrate on the technological and economic aspects of AI, India offers a distinctive perspective rooted in its ancient civilisational heritage. Indian civilisation, which has evolved over thousands of years, holds profound philosophical insights about consciousness, knowledge, and the nature of reality. Today, these ancient ideas are increasingly being connected with the development of modern artificial intelligence. 

This distinctive blend of ancient wisdom and modern technology is often called techno-civilisational modernity. It presents an approach where technological progress is guided by philosophical principles, cultural customs, and a broader understanding of human well-being. Rather than viewing AI solely as a tool for efficiency or profit, India’s civilisational perspective emphasises that technology should ultimately benefit humanity and promote collective advancement. 

Trade between ancient India and the Roman Empire was one of the most significant economic exchanges of the classical world, especially between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE. Indian merchants exported luxury goods such as pepper, spices, silk, cotton textiles, ivory, pearls, and precious stones, which were highly prized in Rome, while the Romans sent gold and silver coins, wine, and glassware in return. Important Indian ports like Muziris on the Malabar Coast became thriving centers of international commerce, connecting with Roman Egypt through the Red Sea. Roman historian Pliny the Elder famously complained that Rome was losing vast amounts of gold to India due to the trade imbalance, calling India a “sink of gold.” This vibrant maritime trade strengthened cultural and economic ties, influencing art, coinage, and material culture on both sides and demonstrating that ancient India was deeply integrated into global trade networks long before the modern era.

India’s influence in Asia is civilisational, cultural, spiritual, and intellectual, stretching back thousands of years. Long before the rise of modern nation-states, the Indian subcontinent served as a major centre of trade, philosophy, science, and spirituality that shaped large parts of Asia through exchange rather than conquest. Unlike empires that expanded primarily through military force, India’s influence travelled through merchants, monks, scholars, and sailors who carried ideas, art, language, and belief systems across land and sea routes. One of the most profound aspects of India’s influence was spiritual. Hindu and Buddhist philosophies spread widely across Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia. From Cambodia and Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam, Indian epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata became embedded in local cultures, adapted into regional languages, dance traditions, theatre, and folklore.