Why India is called "the subcontinent"?

"The subcontinent is a peninsula that juts southward from the rest of Asia like an enormous arrowhead. We call India a subcontinent because it is a distinct landmass, but it is not large enough to be considered a continent. The nation of India dominates three-fourths of the subcontinent. Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh occupy the remainder."

For full reference:
http://www.mrdowling.com/612india.html