Trade Networks and Commercial Expansion from Early Historic India to Gupta Age

Abstract

This research paper examines the development and expansion of trade networks in ancient India from the Early Historic Period (c. 600 BCE) to the Gupta Age (c. 550 CE). It analyses inland and maritime trade routes, commercial institutions such as guilds, and the role of state policies in shaping economic growth. The study argues that trade networks were not only economic structures but also instruments of cultural exchange and political integration. The Gupta period represents the culmination of earlier developments, marked by extensive internal and external trade networks and commercial prosperity.