Thread by @vakibs

Interesting thought. We cannot discount the role of individual heroism in shaping history. But there are also geopolitical realities. When some important resources are lost, or regions with such resources are turned hostile to India, there is limited room for maneuver.

https://twitter.com/Humblefool_14/status/1352908485478871041

During the pre-British era, horses were an important resource in shaping the battles. Good breeding areas of horses were lost to India, when the northern regions of Jambūdwīpa were neglected and surrendered to the enemy. So there was a fundamental weakness in Hindu resistance.

Another key factor is naval command and control of the rich trade on Indian Ocean. The Hindu Navy suffered a major drawback when Sindh was lost. Remember, the Arab invasions started first as naval expeditions. Europeans conquered the Arabs to take over Indian Ocean, not Indians.

In fact, once Sindh was lost, the Hindu dominance in the Indian Ocean steadily gave way to Islam. Access to sea commerce dictated the loyalties of the kings of the Indo-Chinese archipelago. They became second degree converts, effected by Indian Muslim converts from west coast!

So the Hindu Empires did not have access to key resources although they were able to secure the interior of the Deccan plateau, whether the Vijayanagar Empire or the Marathas. They were trading with hostile powers whenever they needed horses, or exchanging sea trade.

In such a precarious situation, foolhardy adventures and grandstanding were stupid. Rāmaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire unnecessarily made enemies with all the neighboring Muslim kingdoms, his arrogance led to the collapse of Vijayanagar. Marathas had serious internal fighting.

What is particularly unforgivable is the loss of Maratha Navy, which was able to defend India against marauding Portuguese (but still unable to control the Indian Ocean region). Stupid internal bickering led to the estrangement of the Maratha commander controlling naval forces.

The first thing these Hindu empires need to have realized are their fundamental weaknesses. The mir strategy for survival needed to adapt to these realities. But well, mistakes were made, and India paid an extremely hefty price in the form of colonial occupation.