when did the indian ocean trade route began
Indian Ocean trade There was an extensive maritime trade network operating between the Harappan and Mesopotamian civilizations as early as the middle Harappan Phase (2600-1900 BCE), with much commerce being handled by "middlemen merchants from Dilmun" (modern Bahrain and Failaka located in the Persian Gulf).[1] Such long-distance sea trade became feasible with the development of plank-built watercraft, equipped with a single central mast supporting a sail of woven rushes or cloth.[citation needed]
Trade route Modern maritime trade routes - sometimes in the form of artificial canals like the Suez Canal - had visible impact on the economic and political standing of nations.[82] The opening of the Suez Canal altered British interactions with the colonies of the British Empire as the dynamics of transportation, trade and communication had now changed drastically.[82] Other waterways, like the Panama Canal played an important role in the histories of many nations.[83] Inland water transportation remained significantly important even as the advent of railroads and automobiles resulted in a steady decline of canals.[84] Inland water transport is still used for the transportation of bulk commodities e.g. grains, coal, and ore.[85]