Alexander the Great, son of Philip of Macedonia, invaded northwest India in 326 BC. Though his military campaign was brief, it marked the first major contact between ancient Europe and India and had lasting cultural and historical impacts.

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• Alexander became king at 20 in 335 BC and began his conquests to control the known world.
• After defeating Persia and other regions, he turned to northwest India, where minor kings like Ambhi of Taxila cooperated while Porus of the Jhelum region resisted fiercely.
• The Battle of the Hydaspes River saw Alexander defeat Porus, but his troops refused to advance beyond the Beas River, leading to his retreat in 326 BC.
• After Alexander’s death in 321 BC, his generals controlled parts of northwest India, influencing local politics.
• His invasion paved the way for Chandragupta Maurya to unify various kingdoms in Punjab, aiding the rise of the Maurya Empire.
• Direct trade and cultural exchanges between India and Greece began, leading to influences in art, sculpture (notably Gandhara School), and philosophy.
• Greek historians like Megasthenes documented Indian society, contributing to Indian historical chronology.
• Alexander’s campaign established four new land and sea routes connecting India to Europe, boosting commerce.
• Despite the military impact being limited, the invasion triggered significant political, cultural, and economic interactions between the two civilizations.
• The invasion indirectly strengthened Indian unity by weakening fragmented tribes and states.