INDO-ARAB COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL RELATIONS THROUGHOUT THE AGES

This paper aims to explore the commercial as well as cultural relations between India and the Arab countries. Arabs used to celebrate the excellences of India and its various products. Many poets of Arabia have mentioned Indian flora and fauna, its mountains, rivers, perfumes, ivory, teak-wood, sandal wood, various animals, birds, coconut trees and plants. They also showed a keen interest in Indian weaponry, such as, swords, arrows, and spears. Pre-Islamic as well as Islamic poets frequently mentioned Indian swords in their poetry. Apart from this, various arts and sciences disseminated between the two countries during Abbasid period. In modern time also there is a deep relation exist between India and other Arab countries. Indian products like Engineering Goods, Food Items, Organic Chemicals, Petroleum Products, Electronic Goods and Medicines are the major exporting items to many Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE. Qatar etc. In the same way, Crude Oil, Minerals, Fertilizers, Natural Gas etc. of Saudi Arabia are the commodities imported by India as well. KEY WORDS: Indo-Arab literature, Commerce, Cultural Exchange, Abbasid period, Arab scholars.