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How was Foreign trade from India conducted before the age of Machine Industries? Explain.
Answer:
Points to remember:
Answer to be written in Exam:
- Silk and cotton goods from India dominated the international market in textiles before the age of the machine industry.
- Coarser cotton was produced in many countries, but the finer varieties often came from India . Goods from Punjab were taken by Armenian and Persian merchants to Afghanistan, eastern Persia, and Central Asia. Bales of fine textiles were carried on camel back via the northwest frontier.
- A vibrant sea trade operated through the main pre-colonial ports.
- Surat on the Gujarat coast was connected to Indian Gulf and the Red Sea Ports.
- Masulipattnam on the Coromandal coast and Hoogly in Bengal had trade links with Southeast Asian ports.
- A large number of Indian merchants and bankers were involved in the network of export trade.
