Greater India, or Greater India Basin signifies "the Indian Plate plus a postulated northern

extension", the product of the Indian–Asia collision.[21] Although its usage in geology pre-
dates Plate tectonic theory,[22] the term has seen increased usage since the 1970s.
It is unknown when and where the India–Asia (Indian and Eurasian Plate) convergence occurred,
at or before 52 Million years ago. The plates have converged up to 3,600 km (2,200 mi) ± 35 km
(22 mi). The upper crustal shortening is documented from geological record of Asia and the
Himalaya as up to approximately 2,350 km (1,460 mi) less.[23]

Nationalist movement[edit]
Here the use of Greater India refers to popularization by a network of Bengali scholars in the
1920s who were all members of the Calcutta-based Greater India Society. The movement's early
leaders included the historian R. C. Majumdar (1888–1980), the philologists Suniti Kumar
Chatterji (1890–1977) and P. C. Bagchi (1898–1956), and the historians Phanindranath Bose
and Kalidas Nag (1891–1966).[24]
The term Greater India, whether aligned or separate from the notion of ancient Hindu expansion
into Southeast Asia, was linked to both Indian nationalism[25] and Hindu nationalism.[26]

Indianization[edit]
Further information: Hinduism in Southeast Asia, Buddhism in Southeast Asia, and Indosphere

Ruins of Ayutthaya in Thailand which was named after Ayodhya

The concept of the Indianized kingdoms, a term coined by George Coedès, describes Southeast
Asian principalities that flourished since the early common era as a result of centuries of socio-
economic interaction having incorporated central aspects of Indian institutions, religion,
statecraft, administration, culture, epigraphy, literature and architecture.[27][28]
Iron Age trade expansion caused regional geostrategic remodeling. Southeast Asia was now
situated in the central area of convergence of the Indian and the East Asian maritime trade
routes, the basis for economic and cultural growth. The earliest Hindu kingdoms emerged in
Sumatra and Java, followed by mainland polities such as Funan and Champa. Adoption of Indian
civilization elements and individual adaptation stimulated the emergence of centralized states
and the development of highly organized societies. Ambitious local leaders realized the benefits
of Hinduism and Indian methods of administration, culture, literature, etc. Rule in accord with
universal moral principles, represented in the concept of the devaraja, was more appealing than
the Chinese concept of intermediaries.[29][30][31]
Distinction from colonialism[edit]
Indianization is different from direct colonialism in that these Indianized lands were not inhabited
by organizations from the Indian subcontinent, with exceptions such as the Chola invasions of
medieval times. Instead, Indian cultural influence from trade routes and language use slowly
permeated through Southeast Asia, making the traditions a part of the region. The interactions
between India and Southeast Asia were marked by waves of influence and dominance. At some
points, the Indian culture solely found its way into the region, and at other points, the influence
was used to take over. Indianization was seen as the total influence of all aspects of Southeast
Asian history. Before the take over of the influence of Indian culture, Southeast Asia was seen as
a place with no history. The beginning of Indianization marked the start of the cultural
commencement in Southeast Asia.[32][self-published source?]

Theories of Indianization[edit]
Further information: Indianization of Southeast Asia
As conclusive evidence is missing numerous Indianization theories of Southeast Asia have
emerged since the early 20th century. The central argument usually revolves around the
question, who was the main propagator exporting Indian institutional and cultural ideas to
Southeast Asia.
One theory of the spread of Indianization that focuses on the caste of Vaishya traders and their
role for spreading Indian culture and language into Southeast Asia through trade. There were
many trade incentives that brought Vaishya traders to Southeast Asia, the most important of
which was gold. During the 4th century C.E., when the first evidence of Indian trader in
Southeast Asia, the Indian sub-continent was at a deficiency for gold due to extensive control of
overland trade routes by the Roman Empire. This made many Vaishya traders look to the seas to
acquire new gold, of which Southeast Asia was abundant. However, the conclusion that
Indianization was just spread through trade is insufficient, as Indianization permeated through all
classes of Southeast Asian society, not just the merchant classes.[33]
Another theory states that Indianization spread through the warrior class of Kshatriya. This
hypothesis effectively explains state formation in Southeast Asia, as these warriors came with
the intention of conquering the local peoples and establishing their own political power in the
region. However, this theory hasn't attracted much interest from historians as there is very little
literary evidence to support it.[33]
The most widely accepted theory for the spread of Indianization into Southeast Asia is through
the class of Brahman scholars. These Brahmans brought with them many of the Hindu religious
and philosophical traditions and spread them to the elite classes of Southeast Asian polities.
Once these traditions were adopted into the elite classes, it disseminated throughout all the lower
classes, thus explaining the Indianization present in all classes of Southeast Asian society.
Brahmans were also experts in art and architecture, and political affairs, thus explaining the
adoption of many Indian style law codes and architecture into Southeast Asian society[33]

Literature[edit]
See also: Literature about Southeast Asia and South Asian literature
Scripts in Sanskrit discovered during the early centuries of the Common Era are the earliest
known forms of writing to have extended all the way to Southeast Asia. Its gradual impact
ultimately resulted in its widespread domain as a means of dialect which evident in regions, from
Bangladesh to Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand and additionally a few of the larger Indonesian
islands. In addition, alphabets from languages spoken in Burmese, Thai, Laos, and Cambodia
are variations formed off of Indian ideals that have localized the language.[34]
The utilization of Sanskrit has been prevalent in all aspects of life including legal purposes.
Sanskrit terminology and vernacular appears in ancient courts to establish procedures that have
been structured by Indian models such as a system composed of a code of laws. The concept of
legislation demonstrated through codes of law and organizations particularly the idea of "God
King" was embraced by numerous rulers of Southeast Asia.[35] The rulers amid this time, for
example, the Lin-I Dynasty of Vietnam once embraced the Sanskrit dialect and devoted
sanctuaries to the Indian divinity, Shiva. Many rulers following even viewed themselves as
"reincarnations or descendants" of the Hindu Gods. However, once Buddhism began entering
the nations, this practiced view was eventually altered.