Indian populations are mostly indigineous to the subcontinent with periodic outward expansions corresponding to major shifts in subsistence patterns: middle > upper paleolithic >> neolithic, etc.
Kivislid 1999
The Place of the Indian mtDNA Variants in the Global Network of Maternal Lineages and the Peopling of the Old World
CONCLUSIONS
Both western and eastern Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups can be found in India together with strictly Indian-specific ones. However, in India the structure of the haplogroups shared either with western or eastern Eurasian populations is profoundly different. <b>This indicates a local independent development over a very long time period. </b>Minor overlaps with lineages described in other Eurasian populations <b>clearly demonstrate that recent immigrations have had very little impact on the innate structure of the maternal gene pool of Indians.</b> Despite the variations found within India, these populations stem <b>from a limited number of founder lineages.</b> These lineages were most likely <b>introduced to the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Palaeolithic, before the peopling of Europe and perhaps the Old World in general.</b> Our demographic analysis reveals <b>at least two major expansion phases</b> that have influenced the wide assortment of the Indian mtDNA lineages. The more recent phase, which according to our estimation started around 20,000-30,000 years ago, seems to correspond to the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic. The first expansion phase may reflect a demographic burst immediately after the initial peopling of India around 50 - 60 thousand years ago. <b>This wave of expansion brought forward also those maternal lineages that can rightfully claim the name of Eurasian Eves.</b>
Kivislid 1999
The Place of the Indian mtDNA Variants in the Global Network of Maternal Lineages and the Peopling of the Old World
CONCLUSIONS
Both western and eastern Eurasian-specific mtDNA haplogroups can be found in India together with strictly Indian-specific ones. However, in India the structure of the haplogroups shared either with western or eastern Eurasian populations is profoundly different. <b>This indicates a local independent development over a very long time period. </b>Minor overlaps with lineages described in other Eurasian populations <b>clearly demonstrate that recent immigrations have had very little impact on the innate structure of the maternal gene pool of Indians.</b> Despite the variations found within India, these populations stem <b>from a limited number of founder lineages.</b> These lineages were most likely <b>introduced to the Indian subcontinent during the Middle Palaeolithic, before the peopling of Europe and perhaps the Old World in general.</b> Our demographic analysis reveals <b>at least two major expansion phases</b> that have influenced the wide assortment of the Indian mtDNA lineages. The more recent phase, which according to our estimation started around 20,000-30,000 years ago, seems to correspond to the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic. The first expansion phase may reflect a demographic burst immediately after the initial peopling of India around 50 - 60 thousand years ago. <b>This wave of expansion brought forward also those maternal lineages that can rightfully claim the name of Eurasian Eves.</b>