The Trade Relation between India and East Africa

A Historical Trajectory

Abstract

This chapter deals with a historical account of the nature and patterns of trade engagements of India and the East Africa and tries to analyse the different areas of trade engagement between the two regions and reorientation of significant ports at the coastal lines and its contribution towards advancement of trade activities. The chapter also tries to examine the nature of trade engagements between the two regions in terms of precious stones, clothes, spices, wheat, rice, oil, indigo exported by India and in return ivory, alabaster, gold, iron, horses and slave imported by India from East Africa, generally based on barter system.  In the subsequent decades the nature and patterns of trade between the two regions remained the same and did not witness any fundamental change.