In *Is India Civilised?*, Sri Aurobindo presents a forceful and systematic response to Western criticisms of Indian civilisation. Written during the colonial period, the essay challenges the assumptions of European superiority and questions the moral authority of the West to judge India. Aurobindo argues that the criticisms directed at India are based on prejudice, ignorance, and a superficial understanding of Indian history, culture, and philosophy. His purpose is not merely to defend India but also to expose the limitations and contradictions of Western civilisation itself. Aurobindo begins by questioning the standards by which civilisation is judged. According to many Western critics, civilisation is measured by material progress, industrial development, political organisation, scientific advancement, and military strength. Aurobindo rejects this narrow definition and argues that true civilisation must include moral, spiritual, intellectual, and cultural development. He believes that a society cannot be called civilised solely because it possesses wealth, technology, or political power. Instead, the highest civilisation is one that nurtures the complete development of human personality and promotes harmony between material and spiritual life. One of the major Western criticisms of India was that it was backward, superstitious, and incapable of progress. Aurobindo responds by highlighting India's rich intellectual and spiritual heritage. He points to the profound philosophical systems of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the various schools of Indian thought, which explore the deepest questions of existence, consciousness, and morality. He argues that Indian civilisation has consistently valued wisdom, self-realisation, and ethical living over material success. These achievements, according to him, represent a higher form of civilisation than mere economic or political dominance. Aurobindo