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Historical Links between lndia and the Gulf

Historical Links between
lndia and the Gulf
By Dr. A. EI Madani

From Anciet Times
up to lndia's lndependence

١NTRODUCTION

The relationship between lndia and the Gulf region is well rooted in history. it
stretches deep back into ancient times. Some archaeologists suggest that it
can be traced to the third millennium B.C. based on the artifacts of
embellished pottery and sea-shells recovered from the Harappa in North
lndia and those belonging to the Dilmun civilization of Bahrain. Such a
conclusion is not a surprise considering the geographic proximity of the wto
regions. The Arabian Gulf is simply a natural extension of the lndian Ocean.
The latter is connected to the former by the Gulf of Oman which has been
used since the dawn of history as one of the major routes of india's trade
going westward.

This chapter attempts to throw some light on the relationship bewteen lndia
and the Gulf showing its depth, nature, developments, fields of interaction,
and the impact exercised by each side on the other's political, economic,
cultural, and social life from ancient times up to the year 1947.

Because of the length of the period under discussion, hte chapter is divided
into four parts. The first part deals with lndo-Gulf contact in ancient times up
to the pre-lslamic period, the second focuses on the links before and after the
advent of lslam, while the third and the fourth discuss their features and
developments during Portuguese and British dominance respectively.

INDO-GULF CoNTACT ١N ANCIENT TIMES

Sumerian and Acadian versions indicate that the valley of Mesopotamia had
profound commercial ties with the lndus civilization which flourished from
about 2500 to 1500 B.C., or little earlier. ١