Question

Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the statements and choose the correct option:
Assertion (A): The Indian subcontinent was a crucial point in Indian Ocean trade flows during the sixteenth century.
Reason (R): Its geographical location connected East-West Asia and Europe.

• A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
• B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
• C. (A) is true but (R) is false.
• D. (A) is false but (R) is true.

Hint:

Remember that before the arrival of European colonial powers, India was known as the "crossroads of maritime trade" because it connected the East and the West through the Indian Ocean.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Check the Assertion on its own.
In the sixteenth century the Indian Ocean was full of trading ships, and India sat right at the centre of this network, exporting cotton, spices and other goods to distant markets. So the Assertion holds up.
Step 2: Check the Reason on its own.
India's location between East Asia, West Asia and Europe meant that ships travelling between these regions naturally passed through Indian ports. This is a true statement too.
Step 3: See if the Reason actually explains the Assertion.
The reason India could become such an important trading hub was precisely because of this in between location. So the Reason is not just true, it directly explains why the Assertion is true.
Hence, both statements are true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion, so the answer is option (A).