I found the following on this topic.
In the story of Noach the Torah lists the geneology of his descendants.
http://bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displayid&id=26510:25 Eber had two sons. The name of the first was Peleg, because the world became divided in his days. His brother's name was Yoktan.
10:26 Yoktan was the father of Almodad, Shelef, Chatzarmaveth, Yerach,
10:27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
10:28 Obhal, Abhimael, Sh'bha,
10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Yovav. All these were the sons of Yoktan.
The footnote regarding the son Ophir is:
Ophir The place from which King Solomon brought gold; 1 Kings 9:28, 10:11. Cf. Psalms 45:9, Isaiah 13:12. From the context, it is a place on the Arabian peninsula. Some identify it with El Ophir, a town in Oman. Josephus, however, identifies Ophir with Aurea Chersonesus, belonging to India (Antiquities 8:6:4). The Septuagint translates Ophir as Sophia, which is Coptic for India. There was indeed an ancient city known as Soupara or Ouppara in the vicinity of Goa on the western coast of India. Later authors identified Ophir with the New World (Rabbi Azzaria de Rossi, Meor Eynaim, Imrey Binah 11; David Gans, Nechmad VeNaim 3:75; Tzemach David 2:1533; Seder HaDoroth 5254).
This would confirm your assertion that there was contact between the ancient Israelites and the people living in India. Altought there is some dissenting opinions to this understanding.
Interesting links:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/463983/jewish/King-Solomon.htm