Gwalior is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located 343 kilometres (213 mi) south of Delhi, the capital city of India, 120 kilometres (75 mi) from Agra and 414 kilometres (257 mi) from Bhopal, the state capital, Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird region of India. The historic city and its fortress have been ruled by several historic Indian kingdoms. From the Kachchhapaghatas in the 10th century, Tomars in the 13th century, it was passed on to the Mughal Empire, then to the Maratha in 1754, and the Scindia Dynasty of Maratha Empire in the 18th century. In April 2021, It was found that Gwalior had the best air quality index amongst the 4 major cities in Madhya Pradesh.

The Kachchhapaghatas were a Rajput dynasty that ruled between 10th and 12th centuries. Their territory included north-western parts of Central India. The Kachhwaha Rajputs of Amber were from the same family.