India in Global Commerce and the Role of International Trade Routes: Comparative Analysis of the Past, Present, and Future Logistics Scenarios

India, is a nation of ancient civilization having a global trade and commerce heritage for centuries. The country had a prominent role in global trade and commerce during the ancient times. This paper examines the vibrant trade relations of India with the rest of the world and the genesis of international trade routes connecting the nation with international markets. On the basis of a comparative evaluation, the paper explores the active role of India in primeval overland and naval networks, its reduced but key status during the colonial and post-independence phases and the recurrence of the nation as a major player in the current global economic scenario. The paper highlights the drastic changes in the logistics systems from the obsolete as well as complex past systems to the ultramodern digital technologies in the present scenario and the forthcoming scenarios distinguished by hyper connectivity, resilience and sustainability. The paper also unveils the impediments and merits that describe the path of the nation in setting and leveraging international trade passages.