Final answer:
Chandragupta Maurya was inspired by Alexander the Great to found the Mauryan Empire, which became the first extensive Indian Empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chandragupta Maurya founded the first Indian Empire, the Mauryan Empire, after being inspired by Alexander the Great. The encounter with Alexander's forces and the void they left in the northwest Indian subcontinent presented Chandragupta with the opportunity to rise to power and establish a vast empire that would extend throughout much of the Indian subcontinent. The Mauryan Empire was marked by a single and efficient system of finance, administration, and security, as well as the spread of Buddhism under the reign of Ashoka the Great.