"India had a long fascination for the Romans, going back to Alexander the Great"
There was no question that the Romans admired Alexander and tried to emulate him.
After Conquering what is now Iraq in the early 2nd Century. The Emperor Trajan reflected on whether to push on to India but he was too old and died soon after. He was the only Roman Emperor to sail on the Perisan Gulf. The City of Um Quasar on the Gulf is named for Kaiser (derived from Caesar)Wilhelm but it could apply to Caesar Trajan who actually visited there.