Final answer:
true. Indus Valley Civilization, existing between 2600 and 1900 BCE with cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, is one of the earliest significant settlements in South Asia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the earliest significant settlement in South Asia was a network of small towns and ports in what is now Pakistan and western India is true. The Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished between 2600 and 1900 BCE, is indeed considered one of the earliest and most advanced urban cultures of its time. This civilization consisted of well-planned cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in present-day Pakistan, demonstrating high levels of urban planning, socio-economic complexity and technological innovation. Further archaeological evidence from the Neolithic settlement of Mehrgarh, dating back to 7000 BCE, indicates the presence of long-distance trade, agriculture including barley cultivation, and animal domestication well before the mature phase of the Indus Valley Civilization.