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How did Greek astrology reach India during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE?

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What's your sign? — astrology Zodiac wheel showing the 12 astrological constellations or signs from an illumination of the poem *Breviari d'Amour*, Catalan (Spain), late 14th century; in the collection of the British Library.

Greek astrology was transmitted to India during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE primarily through the creation of Sanskrit translations of Hellenistic texts.1

A key figure in this transmission was Yavaneshvara, who produced a translation in 149/150 CE. This work was later versified as the Yavanajataka by Sphujidhvaja in 269/270 CE. Through these translations, the 12 signs of the Western zodiac were adopted directly into the Indian system.1

While the technical methodologies of Hellenistic astrology were integrated into Indian practice, they were transmitted without their original philosophical underpinnings. Indian astrologers adapted the system to fit their own cultural context, incorporating elements such as the varna and caste systems, the doctrine of reincarnation, and indigenous theories regarding the five elements. Furthermore, Indian practitioners expanded upon the Hellenistic framework by integrating native elements like the nakshatras (lunar mansions) and developing more complex planetary combinations and subdivisions.1