Bharata vs. India (thread)

Most ancient countries have 2 (or more) names: an internal name and an outward-facing name. These names may be related or derived differently.

Both of these names are important and reflect complementary parts of the country's civilizational heritage. https://twitter.com/Hayatokaw/status/1336855687809224705

India is the "external" name given to Bharat, which traces its origin to the Sindhu river. It further gained currency when used by the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese.

Today, it would be rare for a country to renounce a name just because it was their historically used external name.

A famous example is the name for Greece.

The Greek name of the country is Hellas (today "Helliniki Dimokratia" or "Hellenic Republic").

However, the English word "Greece" (from Latin "Graecia") is also ancient.

Names in other European languages are derived from the Latin name.

Over time, other names were also used

Virgil writes "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes" (Beware of Greeks bearing gifts), indicating that "Danaan" (Achaeans) was a popular name in his time.

Today, both "Hellenes" and "Greece" are used to indicate the Greek civilizational identity.