Soviet historians compiled and published a four-volume History of India in 1959-1969 which was well received in the country concerned. This work, some of whose authors and editors have contributed to the present study as well, has been drawn on for this new History of India in two books. At the same time use has also been made of the latest research into Indian history carried out by scholars from both the

Soviet Union and many other countries. It is hoped that this book will provide the reader with a deeper knowledge of India and the history and culture of its peoples, and thus promote friendly relations between India and the Soviet Union.

The books were translated from the Russian by Katherine Judelson and designed by Y. Lilov. The books were first printed by Progress Publishers in 1979.

The Internet Archive Link for Book 1

PDF | Bookmarked | Cover | 265 pages

The Internet Archive Link for Book 2

PDF | Bookmarked | Cover | 343 pages

The original scans can be found here and here by this IA user.  We cleaned, dewarped the 2-in-1 scans, did OCR, added bookmarks and covers.

Contents

Book 1

Preface 7

ANCIENT INDIA (G. Bongard-Levin)

INDIA IN THE MAGADHA AND MAURYAN PERIODS

New Stages of Political Development 59
The Mauryan Empire During the Reign of Ashoka 66
The Deccan and Southern India in the Magadha and Mauryan Periods 82
Economic Development and Social Structure 84
The Republics of Ancient India 98
The Culture of the Mauryan Era 101
Religious Teachings of the Mauryan Period 105

INDIA IN THE KUSHANA AND GUPTA PERIODS

North-Western India in the First Century B.C. and the First Century A.D. 116
The Western Kshatrapas and the Satavahanas 125
Economic Development and Social Structure 129
Religious Trends and Philosophical Schools in the Early Centuries A.D. 138
The Culture of the Kushana and Gupta Periods 168
The Historical and Cultural Links Between Ancient India and Other Countries 175

INDIA IN THE MIDDLE AGES (K. Antonova)

INDIA BE1WEEN THE SIXTH AND TWELfTH CENTURIES
The Political History of India from the Sixth to the Twelfth Century 184
The Development of Feudal Relations Between the Sixth and Twelfth Centuries 189
Indian Culture Between the Sixth and Twelfth Centuries 196

INDIA DURING THE PERIOD OF THE DELHI SULTANATE (THIRTEENTH AND EARLY FOURTEENTH CENTURIES)
The Political History of the Delhi Sultanate 202
The Economic Position of the Delhi Sultanate 210
Southern and Western India 215
Indian Culture Between the Thirteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 225

INDIA AT THE TIME OF THE MOGHUL EMPIRE (SIXTEENTH-EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES)

The Formation of the Moghul Stale 230
The Reign of Akbar 232
The Reign of Jahangir 245
The Reign of Shahjahan 250
The Reign of Aurangazeb 254
Indian Culture in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries 262

Book 2

THE BRITISH CONQUEST OF INDIA (EIGHTEENTH CENTURY)
by K. A. Antonova 11
The Fall of the Moghul Empire 11
The Struggle Between the British and the French for India (1746-1763) 19
The British Conquest of South India 32
The Policies of the Colonial Authorities in India: Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries 50
The Economic Development of India in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century 60
The Final Stage of the Conquest of India 63
Anti-Colonial Protest 65
The Emergence of a Movement of the Bourgeoisie 68
The Great Popular Uprising of 1857-1859 70
Indian Culture in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries 76

INDIA AT THE ONSET OF IMPERIALISM (1860-1897) by G. G. Kotovsky 85
Changes in the System of Colonial Administration 85
India’s Economic Development Between the 1860s and the 1890s 90
The National Liberation Struggle of the Peoples of India Between the 1860s and the 1890s 101
The Emergence of Bourgeois Nationalism and Its Various Trends 110

INDIA IN THE PERIOD OF PRE-WAR IMPERIALISM, AS ASIA AWAKENS (1897-1917) by G. G. Kotovsky 116
Mounting Contradictions Between Britain and India 116
The Rising Tide of the Revolutionary Movement in 1905-1908 123
India on the Eve of the First World War and During the War Years 134

RECENT HISTORY OF INDIA THE FIRST REVOLUTIONARY ONSLAUGHT AND THE EMERGENCE OF POLmCAL MASS ORGANISATIONS (1918-1927) by G. G. Kotovsky 153
High Tide of the National Liberation Movement 153
The Counter-Offensive of British Imperialism 171
The Emergence of a Communist Movement in India and the Formation of Workers’ and Peasants’ Political Organisations 176

THE RISE OF THE ANTI-IMPERIALIST MOVEMENT AND THE STRUGGLE FOR A UNITED FRONT (1928-1939) by G. G. Kotovsky 185
A New Chapter in the National Liberation Struggle 85
The Left Forces Assume a Stronger Position in the National Movement. Struggle for Leadership Intensifies 203 Progress Towards a United National Front. The Intensification of the Struggle Within the Congress 209

INDIA IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR by G. G. Kotovsky 218
The Position of the Political Parties and the Anti-Imperialist Movement
During the Early War Years (1939-1941) 218
The “August Revolution” of 1942 and British Colonial Rule 224
The Economic and Political Situation in India in the Last Years of the
War: (1943-1945) 226

THE FINAL STAGE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE (1945-1947) by G. G. Kotovsky 233
The Mass Movement in 194.5-1946 and the Political Manoeuvring of the
British Imperialists 233
On the Road to Freedom 243

THE DOMINION OF INDIA by G. G. Kotovsky 249
First Steps on the Road to Independence 249
Intensified Struggle 260

THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA: BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS
OF INDEPENDENCE (1950-1964) by G. G. Kotovsky 266
Internal Political Situation of the Early 1950s 266 Economic and Social Policy 274
The Emergence of the Nehru Une in India’s Domestic and Foreign Policy 288

THE STRUGGLE TO PURSUE THE NEHRU LINE (1964-1972) by G. G. Kotovsky 310
The Growing Economic and Political Crisis 310
Consolidation of the Left Forces 319

INDIA IN THE MID-SEVENTIES: DEEPENING CONTRADICTIONS
IN THE INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT (1973-1977) by G. G. Kotovsky 327
Economic Situation in the Mid-Seventies 327
Internal Political Situation in 1973-1975 330
A Turning-Point in India’s Internal Political Development: the Emergency and the 1977 Elections 333
Foreign Policy 337