The countries of East Africa, South West Asia, South Asia, and South East Asia are all part of the Oriental globe. These countries are encircled by the Indian Ocean, which connects them by sea routes. For the last two millennia, India's principal contracts with the outside world have been by sea, garnering India the moniker of 'Mistress of the Eastern Seas.' With the development of the Suez Canal, countries in Southern Europe and North Africa have become increasingly near to India. The boats of the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Phoenicians used to cruise in the Arabian Sea in ancient times. Hindu and Buddhist civilizations and faiths have expanded too far south and east in Asia. In Thailand, there are a number of temples with Ramayana slokas etched on the walls. The Hindu Kingdom was headquartered in Bali, Indonesia. Mauritius is a'miniature India' in the Indian Ocean.

Our land-based contacts are substantially older than our maritime contacts. Passes, gorges, and valleys in mountain chains provided ancient travellers with passageways. The wealth of India in general, and the Great Plains in particular, attracted waves of settlers from the north-west. Mongols, Turks, Arabs, and Iranians conquered India and established themselves here. With the passage of time, these settlers were integrated into the national mainstream, resulting in a mix of races, civilizations, people, and ethnic groups. Some of the invaders brought architectural grandeur to India and carried Indian numbers, the decimal system, and Upanishad ideas back to their homeland. Buddhism spread from India to Tibet via terrestrial routes, eventually reaching China, Korea, and even Japan. As a result, India is a vital part of the oriental world and occupies a key place in the region.