Consider the following statements regarding Alexander’s invasion of India:

It led to the fragmentation of northern India into smaller independent states after the fall of the Mauryas.
He advanced as far as the River Beas, facing resistance from local tribes along the way.
His army refused to march further eastward toward the Gangetic valley.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1 and 2
2 and 3
1, 2, and 3
1 and 3

Question

Consider the following statements regarding Alexander&rsquo;s invasion of India:

	It led to the fragmentation of northern India into smaller independent states after the fall of the Mauryas.
	He advanced as far as the River Beas, facing resistance from local tribes along the way.
	His army refused to march further eastward toward the Gangetic valley.

Which of the statements given above are correct?


	1 and 2
	2 and 3
	1, 2, and 3
	1 and 3

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is not correct: Alexander&rsquo;s invasion of India took place in 327&ndash;325 BCE, whereas the Maurya Empire was established later in 321 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya. Since the Mauryas did not exist at the time of Alexander&rsquo;s invasion, his campaign could not have fragmented their empire.

Statement 2 is correct: Alexander marched from Taxila to the Hydaspes (Jhelum) River, where floods delayed his crossing. He soon fought and defeated Porus at Karri but, impressed by his bravery, restored him to power. Moving towards the Beas River, he faced resistance from local tribes and eventually halted his campaign.

Statement 3 is correct: The soldiers had been campaigning for nearly eight years, facing continuous battles and harsh conditions. They were exhausted and homesick, having marched thousands of miles from Macedonia. They feared encountering the powerful Nanda Empire of Magadha, which was rumored to have a massive army, including thousands of war elephants.

Ancient India

Alexander's Invasion of India

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