Geographically speaking India is surrounded by sea on three sides (1) in the eastern side of the peninsula is situated the Bay of Bengal, in the west is the Arabian Sea, and in the south there is the vast Indian Ocean.
Naturally it is obvious that seas would play an important role in the life and activities of the people of India.
(2) It is known from various sources that India has commercial relations with many foreign countries.
(3) Pliny in his Geography refers to the trade between India and Italy in the first century AD.
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(4) In the modern period Vasco da Gama was the first to discover sea-route between Europe and India. From that time onwards host of foreigners reached India for trade.
(5) It was through the sea that the English came to India and ailed the country for 200 years.