Unfortunately, such instances have also, at times, escalated into outright hostility and warfare.

In this regard, many Malaysians might not be aware of the fact that Kedah was once attacked by an invading army from faraway India.

To understand how this transpired, one would have to go back in time to 300 BC, when the Tamil Chola dynasty first emerged in southern India.

Granted natural access to the Indian Ocean, the Cholas gradually carved out a strong maritime and mercantile empire, leveraging their position as a midpoint between China and Rome.

Thus began a Tamil golden age epitomised by flourishing arts and culture. Still, the Cholas were not averse to using warfare whenever it suited their explorations.

As it happened, Rajendra Chola I, also remembered as Rajendra the Great, was the one emperor who had many militaristic ambitions.

As Crown Prince, he effectively united southern India and Sri Lanka under Chola rule. He then invaded northern India in 1023 AD, reaching the sacred Ganges River from which he drew tanks of water to mark his accomplishments.

It was during this time that he set his sights across the Indian Ocean, particularly towards the Malay Archipelago.

At the time, the Srivijaya Empire was the dominant power in the Malay Archipelago, its lands consisting of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and parts of Java.

Despite existing trade ties, Chola and Srivijaya’s relations turned chilly once the fabled Silk Road began to experience a drastic increase in traffic, due to the high demand of Chinese products.

Improved shipbuilding technology also allowed travellers to sail further, stopping only once to resupply at either Chola and Srivijaya.

The latter exhausted its options to promote itself, at one point, even paying the Orang Laut (sea gypsies) to harass merchant ships into docking at Srivijaya ports.

This, in turn, affected the Chola’s source of revenue, and according to some sources, the Srivijaya Empire was also suppressing Tamil trade guilds at local ports.

These tactics soon prompted Rajendra to plan an attack on Srivijaya and to his luck, a useful situation soon arose in 1025 AD.

His allies, the Angkorian Empire, requested for military assistance in their war against Tabralinga, a state in southern Thailand that was an ally of Srivijaya. With that, Rajendra was officially at war with Srivijaya.

Rajendra began assembling a fleet that was technologically advanced for its time, guided by veteran Chinese and Arab shipbuilders; the vessels were said to be equipped with weapons that resembled flamethrowers.

With his fleet ready for battle, he sailed eastwards for the Straits of Melaka where the Srivijaya navy awaited him off the coast of Kedah.

Unbeknownst to the Srivijaya, Rajendra split his navy into two, sending his main fleet around the island of Sumatra, while the secondary fleet distracted the enemy.

This was an ingenious and unexpected move, as the waters off southern Sumatra were notably treacherous during the monsoon season.

Having survived the dangerous route, the Cholas then targeted and sacked Palembang, the southern Srivijaya capital.

Eventually, the Srivijaya fleet just off Kedah was attacked from both sides and soundly defeated, leaving Kedah, then known as Kadaram, vulnerable to attack.

With the Srivijayans in a state of chaos, the Cholas took their time to subdue the Tambralinga, helping their Angkorian allies in the process.

The Chola invasion brought an end to the ruling dynasty in Srivijaya, crippling the once powerful kingdom and leaving it vulnerable to regional rivals.

However, the Cholas had attacked not so much to conquer as to cripple, and with their dominance asserted, the Cholas continued to influence Southeast Asian politics for years to come.

Some sources suggest that Rajendra also married a Srivijaya princess, adding legitimacy to Chola claims in future disputes.

Kedah was also attacked again, more than 50 years later by Rajendra’s grandson over a succession dispute.

Today, little is mentioned of this conflict, be it in Indian or Malaysian history books, but it’s certainly a reminder of the many lesser-known historical events that have shaped our world.