Published Paper Details:

Trade between India and the Western world goes back to the Harappan civilization, when trade was with Babylonia and Mesopotamia in 2000 BCE. Over the years, the trade between India and the western countries continued through the sea route. For centuries past, adventurous mariners were cautiously crossing the Arabian Sea to reach ports in Malabar Coast for trade in Indian plants but it was a highly risky journey with no certainty of reaching the destination. After the discovery of the phenomenon of monsoon by Hippalus in the early years of the 1st century AD, ships from Egypt could sail more predictably in July and blown with the South-West monsoon , reaching Malabar in September. They could return from Malabar in November with the North-East monsoon and reach back in ports like Myos Hormos, Egypt, in the next February. It was still indeed a risky journey but making use of the trade winds many Arab and Greek ships came here laden with gold and returned with spices and aromatic plants. They were also importing from here rice, oil of sesame, cotton and sugar. After the venture of Portuguese in the trade with India and their lust for introduction of valuable species back to Lisbon lead to accidental entry of important species in India from the western world. The paper deals with these species and how these have contributed to the economy of the country.