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INDIA AND WEST ASIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
A.K. Pasha
Brief Historical Background
India’s historical ties with the people of the Nile Valley, Mesopotamia and Dilmun civilizations which flourished in West Asia are well-known. Trade between the Indus Valley cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa and Babylon in Mesopotamia flourished more than 4,000 years ago. Trade routes between the two regions were influenced by the monsoon winds. The Arab traders have been an important link between Europe and India. The Arabs married local Indians, particularly in Kerala, and their descendents are known as Mopplars. Indian cotton cloth, rice, sandal-wood, spices, perfumed oils, gold and other items were in great demand in West Asia. The commercial, cultural ...
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