Consider the following statements regarding the Vijayanagara Empire : 1. The rulers of Vijayanagara called themselves Rayas. 2. Horses were imported from China and South-East Asia. 3. Vijayanagara was noted for its markets dealing in spices, textiles, and precious stones. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

The statements can be evaluated as follows:

• Statement 1 is correct: The rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire used the title 'Raya' (e.g., Krishnadeva Raya), which was the Kannada/Telugu form of the Sanskrit 'Raja'.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: While horses were a critical import for the Vijayanagara cavalry, they were primarily sourced from Arabia and Central Asia across the Arabian Sea. Trade was initially controlled by Arab merchants and later by the Portuguese. China was primarily a source of silk and porcelain, not war horses.
• Statement 3 is correct: Contemporary foreign travelers like Domingo Paes and Abdur Razzaq described Vijayanagara as a thriving commercial center. Its markets were famous for high-value goods including spices, textiles, and precious stones (especially diamonds, as the empire controlled famous mines).

Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.