UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 43
India maintained its early cultural contacts and trade links with Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal. For this pre-eminence of early maritime history of Bay of Bengal, which of the following could be the most convincing explanation/explanations ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C
Explanation: Seasonal reversal of monsoon winds enabled sailing ships to cross the Bay of Bengal and return predictably, sustaining early India–Southeast Asia trade and cultural contact.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - Superior Indian shipbuilding across every period/country is too sweeping to explain the pattern.
B: Incorrect - Southern rulers sometimes patronised overseas exchange, but “always” is not supportable.
C: Correct - seasonal monsoon navigation gave a dependable maritime route.
D: Incorrect - Since A and B are overstated, their conjunction is not the best explanation.