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How did Aryan groups influence the population of Himachal Pradesh during the Vedic period?

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Steep, green slopes with dense trees rise on both sides of a narrow valley in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India, with mist and clouds partially obscuring the peaks. — Himachal Pradesh The valley of the gods, Kullu Valley, central Himachal Pradesh, India.

During the Vedic period (c. 1500 to 500 BCE), various Aryan groups migrated into the more productive valleys of what is now Himachal Pradesh. These groups influenced the region's population by assimilating the pre-Aryan inhabitants who were already present in the area.1

This process of migration and cultural interaction was part of a broader historical movement of Indo-Aryan speakers across northern India. Over time, these interactions contributed to the complex ethnolinguistic composition of the state, where Indo-Aryan languages—such as Hindi and Pahari—eventually became the principal languages spoken by the majority of the population.23