Which one of the following regions is culturally closer to India but ethnically closer to China?

South-East Asia is the region that is culturally closer to India but ethnically closer to China. Historically, the region underwent a process known as 'Indianization,' where kingdoms like the Khmer and Srivijaya adopted Indian religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), Sanskrit language, and political structures [t2][t3][t8]. This created a profound cultural sphere often referred to as 'Greater India' [t2]. However, ethnically, the majority of the population in South-East Asia belongs to the Mongoloid racial stock or ethnolinguistic groups like the Sino-Tibetan, Tai-Kadai, and Austroasiatic families, which share closer ancestral and physical affinities with the populations of China [c4][t1][t5]. While India provided the cultural and religious framework for many of these societies, the underlying ethnic composition remains predominantly linked to East Asian migrations [c4][t1].

Sources

1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_India
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 13: Cultural Setting > 3. Mongoloids > p. 10
3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_Southeast_Asia