List of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes in the context of "Pakistani Punjab"

Āryāvarta (Sanskrit: आर्यावर्त, lit. 'Land of the Noble ones', Sanskrit pronunciation: [aːrjaːˈʋərtə]) is a term for the northern Indian subcontinent in the ancient Hindu texts such as Dharmashastras and Sutras, referring to the areas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and surrounding regions settled during and after the Indo-Aryan migrations by Indo-Aryan tribes and where Indo-Aryan religion and rituals predominated. The limits of Āryāvarta extended over time, as reflected in the various sources, as the influence of the Brahmanical ideology spread eastwards in post-Vedic times.

The Bharatas were an early Vedic tribe that existed in the latter half of the second millennium B.C.E.The earliest mentioned location of the Bharatas was on the Sarasvatī River. Led by the tribal king Divodāsa, the Bharatas moved through the Hindu Kush mountains and defeated Śambara. Divodāsa's descendant, Sudās, won the Battle of the Ten Kings against a Pūru-led coalition, after which the initial compilation of hymns of the R̥gveda was carried out. After the battle, the Bharatas and other Pūru clans eventually formed the Kuru kingdom, which was the first attested state in Indian history.

Mleccha (Sanskrit: म्लेच्छ, romanized: mlecchá) is a Sanskrit term referring to those of an incomprehensible speech, foreigners or invaders deemed distinct and separate from the Vedic tribes. In Vedic Brahmanical discourse, the term is used to refer to foreigners (anāryans) who were considered outside the realms of Vedic dharma.

Mleccha was traditionally applied to denote foreigners or outsiders who did not belong to the Vedic cultural milieu, regardless of their race or skin colour. These individuals were considered outside the Varna system and the ritualistic framework of Vedic society. Historical sources identify various groups as mlecchas, including the Śākas, Huns, Chinese, Greeks, Kambojas, Pahlavas, Bahlikas, Rishikas, and Daradas. Other groups designated as mlecchas include the Barbaras, Kiratas, Paradas, Parasika kingdom, Indo-Greeks, Pulindas, Gurjars and Scythians. Further identifications include the Kushans and Kinnaras.