Mongol Invasion of India against the Delhi Sultanate

In the 1260s, constant civil war broke out in various sections of the Mongol empire. Later intrusions into India were attempted by the Chagatai Khanate, who ruled over the major parts of Central Asia. In the 1280s, Duwa Khan controlled Afghanistan and made several attacks on the North-western border towns of India, including Sindh, Balochistan, Lahore, and Multan.

• Alarmed by the regular invasions and lack of border control in the Northwest, Delhi Sultanate concocted well-planned strategies, which led to severe defeats and pushbacks of Mongols in later years. Moreover, civil war within the Mongol empire gave significant impetus to the Sultanate to build the defences in the Northwest and chart out efficient strategies to quell the Mongol conquest.
• The Sultanate under the reign of Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1266-1287) was highly alarmed by the Mongol raids and prepared his army. As a result, large-scale attacks ceased, and Mongols could not cross the Indus river. He and future rulers recovered the border towns such as Multan, Uch, Sindh, and Lahore and punished local Ranas and Rais for joining hands with Mongols and their subsidiaries. 
• By the 1290s, India witnessed a massive transformation of power from Turkic to Indian Muslims, who had migrated with Ghori a century ago. This led to the rise of the Khilji dynasty.
• In 1292, the Chagatai Khanate under Abdullah raided Punjab in the reign of Khilji king Jalaluddin. However, their advance guard under Ulghu had to face severe defeat. Chagatai faced various losses by the Khiljis between 1296 to 1297.
• Several major attacks happened under the successor of Jalaluddin, Alauddin Khalji. In 1297, Chagatai Noyan Kadar was defeated in the battle of Jaran-Manjur. In 1298-99, Mongols invaded Sindh and captured the Sivistan fort. However, Zafar Khan, the military general of Alauddin, defeated the forces at the siege of Sehwan. 
• Perhaps the most significant defeat of Mongols happened in 1299 in the Battle of Killi near Delhi. Chagatai leader Duwa Khan’s son Qutlugh Khwaja moved his army to conquer Delhi. However, the Chagatai Mongols again had to face retreat. 
• Soon in 1303, Alauddin Khalji’s focus was shifted to capturing Chittoor and Warangal. Taking advantage of Alauddin’s absence in Delhi, the Mongols again invaded the unprotected Delhi. Khalji had no time to prepare his army and returned to Delhi. However, the Mongols could not siege Siri Fort and had to retreat soon. Alauddin Khalji defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Amroha and Ravi in 1305 and 1306, respectively. 
• In 1306, with the death of Duwa, the spate of invasions ended and led to consequential counter raids by Alauddin’s general Malik Tughlaq in Mongol territories in present-day Afghanistan.

Mongol Invasion of India: Mongol invasions were conducted by the Mongol empire in the Indian subcontinent between 1221 and 1327, with the Qaraunas of Mongol descent leading many of the latter expeditions. For many years, the Mongols ruled over portions of the subcontinent. The Delhi Sultanate launched a counterattack against the Mongols as they advanced into the Indian hinterland and arrived at the periphery of Delhi, resulting in significant losses for the Mongol force. One of the Sultan’s main responsibilities, according to Delhi Sultanate authorities, is to take revenge on the Mongols.