The land-sea thermal contrast is the fundamental driving force for the Asian summer monsoon formation and evolution. Tibetan Plateau-Indian Ocean thermal contrast is a crucial factor influencing South Asian monsoon activity. This article reviews and summarizes the relevant research results about the impacts of the Tibetan Plateau-Indian Ocean thermal contrast on South Asian monsoon activity at different time scales, including sub-seasonal, seasonal, inter-annual, and inter-decadal scales. On the sub-seasonal scale, the main focus is on the influence of the thermal contrast on the onset of the South Asian monsoon. On the inter-annual scale, the emphasis is on the indicative significance of the thermal contrast for the interannual variation of monsoon intensity. On the inter-decadal scale, the inter-decadal variations in the relationship between the thermal contrast and South Asian monsoon precipitation are examined. Meanwhile, the article discusses some issues that need further research in this field.