Question

Explain the development of Commerce and Trade in North India.

Answer 1

India was prosperous even during the medieval period from the 12^th to 16^th centuries despite political upheavals. Balban was the first sultan who paved the way in the dense forest and helped traders and their commercial caravans to move from one marketplace to another. Allauddin Khilji brought the price to a very low ebb. He encouraged the import of foreign goods from Persia and subsidised the goods.

Arabs were dominant players in India’s foreign trade. They never discouraged Indian traders like Tamils, Gujaratis, etc. The trade between the coastal ports was in the hands and Marwaris and Gujaratis, The overland trade with central and west Asia was in the hands of Multanis who were Hindus, and Khurasanis who were Afghans, Iranians, and so on.