It was a malevolent time in the Indian subcontinent which was facing a threat from Arab expansionism. It was also the golden period of Islam because it was the time when Rashidun caliphate was established in west Asia which was the first Islamic empire in the world which resulted in propagation of Islam from the deserts of Jeddah to north Africa and west Asia.
Around the early 7th century, Arab conquest happened at an accelerated rate. The Sassanids lost and Iranian peninsular came under the control of Rashidun's and they were aggressively proceeding eastwards since India was a land that promised innumerable bounties and wealth.
They first tried to invade the country through navy from Arabian sea to the peninsular part of India.
Uthman ibn Abi al-As — the governor of east arabia and south east arabia intended to raid Thane, Debal and Baruch with an intention to launch invasion on India through navy. The ‘Offense of Thane’ was spearheaded by Uthman’s brother ‘Al-Hakam’ and returned without any losses; the following raid was conducted by ‘Al-mughira’ who sailed to conquer ‘Debal’.
All ‘3’ naval operations launched by Rashidun's were foiled and Chalukya’s won the battle and thereby foiling the ‘Arab expansion’ to the subcontinent in early 7th century.
Arabs under ‘Umayyad caliphate’ in 660s tried their luck in the indian subcontinent but before that Arabs would annihilate the Sassanids and reach the Western most border of then India. After conquering enite North Africa they cross the strait of Gibraltar and capture most of Spain.
By 712 AD Muhammad Bin Qasim conquers Sindh and now the door to the heart of India laid wide open. A major expedition was sent to defeat and capture core Indian territories with a large army by their side.
Arabs had advanced up to Navsari after plundering the kingdoms of the Saindhavas, Kachchhelas, Saurashtra, Chavotkas, Mauryas, the Gurjaras, and others. One by one forts fall like flies . The only major empire which could face this invasion head on was the Chalukya's. Sensing the imminent threat that was coming the Chalukya Emperor sent a massive force under the command of Avanija Ashraya Pulakeshin.
Even the very famous prince Danti Durga who would go on to establish the Rashtrakuta Empire took part in that battle. Both the sides met at Navasari 739 CE. A fierce battle ensues and the results were that the Chalukya army decisively defeats the invading Arab forces as documented in a Navsari grant of 739 CE. This would be a massive blow to the Arab expansion. No one had ever so decisively defeated the humongous caliphate which seemed absolutely unstoppable.
The reinforcement, which was supposed to come, was diminished along the way while trying to suppress local rebellion. Even this force was absorbed in its passage through Iraq for quelling a local rebellion. The defeat at the hands of Chalukya's is believed to have been a blow to the Arab forces with large costs in men and arms.
The mighty caliphate which extended from Spain in the west to Iran in middle east had lost before Chalukya's. The severly weakened Arab forces were driven out by the subsidiaries of the erstwhile kings. The Guhilot prince Bappa Rawal (r. 734–753) drove out the Arabs who had put an end to the Maurya dynasty at Chittor. Thus ends the disastrous campaign of the Arabs in the hands of the Chalukya's.
The Arab threat was forever diminished and only after the rise of Muslim Turks such a threat would return on our borders.
Later another coalition battle was by with Gujara prathiharas, Chalukyas and other small states forming a massive army and routing another Arab army bringing permanent halt for the Arab advances.
Foot-notes:
[2] Umayyad campaigns in India — Wikipedia
[3] Vikramaditya II — Wikipedia
