Is game rule to include (or don't) India, Tibet, Western Africa possible?

[Andrzej I]

Even if you're not playing an Indian ruler specifically, there's a substantial amount of interaction between them and powers with which we're more familiar that most people are probably unaware of.

Consider me duly corrected! I was aware of the Delhi Sultanate, but thought it fell more in the later 14th century for its eastward expansion, rather than the early 13th. Thank you for the information!

 

[ikki]

frankly id cover india with a black spot and instead have tradeports all over the persian gulf and arabian sea (and horn). Perhaps with a india interaction interface of some kind for those who have built up the tradeposts. Artefacts for coin and perhaps some raiding features (lose troops, random counter-piracy, lost trade, get loot and random stuff "special yogi, claims he can levitate")

Or for that matter, learning secrets of india like getting access to elephants. Or chromium steel makers (that magical pillar in delhi ) and so on.
Maybe even followers of the saint Barlaam or Josaphat that need some help in building a ever bigger fortress and provide troops and other extras. Maybe even functioning as a "christian" military order... a few generations down and the now all christian local Knights of st Barlaam may not even realize the bait ad switch.
All in all India as a exotic feature, rather than a place you actually go to.