Final answer:
The statement is false; Southeast Asia does have a tradition of large indigenous cities, with a history marked by diverse urban development and cultural adaptations from Indian influences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement suggesting that Southeast Asia has little tradition of large indigenous cities compared to India and China is false. Southeast Asia has a rich history of urban development, evident from the monumental architectures like the Seokgoram Grotto and Borobudur. Societies in Southeast Asia formed along coastlines and upland regions, developing their own cultural adaptations of techniques and ideas introduced by India, such as statecraft and legal systems.
Early agriculture in Southeast Asia shares similarities with that of India, being largely driven by the monsoon seasons, while societal structures became increasingly complex with the influence of religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. Furthermore, Southeast Asian rulers engaged with Indian culture, inviting craftsmen and adopting practices, but they adapted these to fit their local context more flexibly than the rigid systems of India and China.