(i) The Age of Indian Textiles : Historically, India was one of the leading producer; of cotton textile. Silk and cotton products of India dominated the international market. India was known for its finer varieties of cotton. The Armenian and Persian merchants took these goods from Punjab to Afghanistan. Persia and Central Asia. Though most of the trade was carried through land routes, but the sea route was and Hoogly were the most important pore; which were used for trade. (ii) A complex and complete market i Before the arrival of the outsiders, the Dade was handled by a variety of Indian merchants and bankers. The whole process of Dade basically involved three steps : • Financing production • Carrying or transporting goods • Supplying goods to the exporters Supply merchant; linked the port towns to the inland regions. They gave advances to weavers, procured the woven cloth from weaving village;, and carried the supply to the ports At the port, the big shippers and export merchants had brokers, who negotiated the price. and bought goods from the supply merchants operating inland.