Which of the following statements with regard to Achaemenid rule in North-West India is/are correct? 1. Cyrus the Great was the first foreign invader to cross the Hindu Kush and capture parts of the Gandhara region. 2. Darius I annexed the Sindh and Punjab, making it the Satrapy of the Persian Empire as noted by Herodotus. 3. Xerxes abandoned all Indian territorial holdings to deploy his entire army in the Greco-Persian Wars. Select the answer using the code given below: |ForumIAS

[A] 1 and 2 only

[B] 2 and 3 only

[C] 1 only

[D] 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

Notes:

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Cyrus the Great ( – BCE) initiated Persian campaigns east of the Iranian plateau, subjugating Indian border tribes around Gandhara.
Statement 2 is correct: Darius I ( – BCE) annexed the lower Indus region around It formed the Satrapy (province) and contributed the highest gold-dust tribute to the Persian treasury.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Xerxes ( – BCE) maintained Persian control over Indian territories and recruited Indian infantry and cavalry contingents to fight against the Greeks in Europe.