Timeline
Every bar is a polity. Read vertically at any point to see who existed at the same time — the subcontinent was almost never ruled by a single power.The scale is compressed in deep time so the densely documented centuries stay readable.
7,000 BCE
5,000 BCE
3,000 BCE
2,000 BCE
1,500 BCE
1,000 BCE
500 BCE
1 CE
500 CE
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
1947
Early Agricultural Cultures
Indus / Harappan Civilization
Late Harappan Cultures
Vedic Period Polities
Mahajanapadas
Mauryan Empire
Post-Mauryan Powers
Kushan Empire
Gupta Empire & Regional Powers
Post-Gupta / Early Medieval
Tripartite Struggle
Chola & Major Southern Kingdoms
Regional Kingdoms & Ghaznavid/Ghurid Expansion
Delhi Sultanate & Regional Kingdoms
Vijayanagara Empire
Bahmani & Deccan Sultanates
European Maritime Powers
Mughal Empire
Sur Empire
Maratha Empire & Regional Powers
East India Company Rule
Sikh Empire
British Crown Rule (Raj)
Dominion of India
Republic of India
Pan-Indian · 5
Northwest · 32
North · 15
Himalaya · 10
Gangetic Plain · 14
East · 16
Northeast · 3
Central · 10
West · 11
Deccan · 18
South · 20
Sri Lanka · 10
Islands · 2
Coastal · 21