From 550 BC, India began to develop a number of small kingdoms and republics known as Mahajanapadas and by the 4th century AD, northern India was unified under the Gupta Dynasty. This period has often been referred to as India’s Golden Age. Hindu culture was firmly established and great emphasis was placed on science, philosophy, art, and engineering.

During the 10th and 11th centuries, as Islam spread across the Indian subcontinent, India was invaded by the Turks and Afghans who established sultanates in Delhi and in the 16th century, the Mughal Dynasty was established by descendents of Genghis Khan. In the south of India, Hindu Chola and Vĳjayanagar dynasties dominated.

Toward the end of the 19th century, the British began to appoint Indian councillors to assist and advise the British viceroy as well as forming councils in provinces with Indian members. By the 1920s, the Indian National Congress had become a campaigning body against British colonial rule, under the influence of Mohandas Gandhi and began using non-violent means to fight for independence.

The long struggle ended on August 15th 1947 when India gained independence from Britain. The Muslim areas became the state of Pakistan. In January 1950, India became a republic and the Indian constitution came into effect.

Since independence, India has been involved in a number of wars over territorial disputes. A dispute with China led to the Sino-Indian war in 1962 and disputes and disagreements with Pakistan have continued throughout India’s independent life, leading to wars in 1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999.

Today, India has one of the world’s fastest growing economies attracting increasing amounts of foreign investment and capitalising on its large population of educated English speakers, India has seen an influx of multinational corporation outsourcing to Indian, especially within the IT sector.