India is planning to revive its ancient Indian Ocean pathways in an attempt to counter neighbouring China’s maritime ambitions. As Beijing is trying to fulfill its maritime ambitions through the silk route, New Delhi is considering introducing a cotton route that will help India shape its economic and strategic partnerships with other countries in the Indian Ocean region.

The Chinese initiatives, launched in 2013 would connect only coastal countries in south Asia whereas the Indian initiatives could increase New Delhi’s economic co-operation and strategic partnerships with almost all the countries in the region.

India’s Project Mausam will be implemented mainly to revive India’s ancient maritime routes and cultural linkages with neighbouring countries. The Modi administration has given a special emphasis on cotton as India exported the item to foreign countries for the first time way back in the first century AD. Since then, the South Asian country has emerged as a leading global supplier of garments made of top quality cotton.

It is evident in various archaeological discoveries from sites at the Red Sea ports of Berenice and Myos Hormos that India used to export cotton to a number of Central Asian countries via the ancient silk route.