Was ancient India the world’s forgotten superpower?

Historian William Dalrymple examines ancient India's extensive ocean trade networks and intellectual contributions—including mathematical innovations by scholars Brahmagupta and Aryabhata that influenced the Renaissance—in Al Jazeera's "Deja Vu" documentary series. The episode argues that colonialism interrupted India's global prominence and suggests that current Asian economic resurgence may represent a historical rebalancing rather than a novel shift in power dynamics.