Was Ancient India a Global Superpower Before Colonialism Reshaped the World?

Long before European dominance, ancient India commanded a significant global presence through its extensive ocean trade networks. Intellectuals such as Brahmagupta and Aryabhata were instrumental in disseminating mathematical concepts that would later influence the Renaissance and the trajectory of the modern era. However, the advent of colonialism dramatically altered this global power dynamic. As power continues to shift back towards Asia on the world stage, the question arises: was the colonial period merely an anomaly in history? This episode of Deja Vu explores this question, featuring insights from author and historian William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill).

Episode credits: This episode was produced by Mohamed Hassan, Marcos Bartolome, Marthe van der Wolf, and David Enders. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our engagement producer is Adam Abou-Gad. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan.

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