The name "India" is derived from the River Indus, which is also the origin of the name "Hindustan." The ancient Persians, who invaded this region in the 6th century BCE, referred to this land as "Hindu" and the people as "Hindus," which is where the terms "Hindustan" and "Hindu" originate. The name "India" was later used by the British to refer to the entire subcontinent, including present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.