Entangled Histories: Aden, India and the British India Project

Abstract

This study looks into the multifaceted relationship between Aden and India, tracing its history from ancient times until the British colonial period. Because of its strategic location at the crossroads of major economic routes, Aden was an important entrepot connecting India to the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle East. The study looks at evidence of early ties, such as marine trade and the exchange of cultural and religious ideas. It examines how Indian communities, primarily merchants and sailors, established a significant presence in Aden, contributing to the city's economic expansion and cultural diversity. The abstract then moves on to the British period, emphasizing how Aden became an important part of Britain's imperial agenda in the East, serving as a coaling depot and a crucial link in the maritime route to India. It investigates the administrative and economic processes that gradually intertwined the fates of Aden and British India.