Iran and Oman

Class 7 Social Science · Chapter 14: India and Her Neighbours · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 14.7

Learn

Iran and India have been linked since the Bronze Age by land routes that later joined the Silk Route, and by sea. The Avesta, sacred text of Zoroastrianism, has parallels with the Ṛigveda; the Mahābhārata calls Persians Pārasīka; Persian, related to Sanskrit, became a court language under the Mughals; and the Parsis of India keep ancient Persian culture alive. Today India is helping develop Iran's Chabahar Port, giving access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Oman, the "Land of Copper", sits where the Persian Gulf meets the Arabian Sea and shares a sea boundary with India. Contact goes back over 5,000 years: Harappan traders brought back copper ingots from Oman. Over 10% of Oman's people are of Indian origin, and a Śhiva temple was built in Muscat in the early 20th century. Oman is India's closest defence partner in the Gulf, holding joint exercises with all three Indian armed forces.

Explore: Iran or Oman?

1. Sort each clue.

Remember

• Iran and India share ancient language, religion and trade links; India is developing Chabahar.
• Oman's copper trade with the Harappans began 5,000 years of ties; it is now a key defence partner.

Quick check

Why was Oman important to the Harappans?

1. it supplied copper
2. it supplied rice
3. it taught them writing
4. it built their cities

Think about it

If borders were drawn by culture and connections instead of politics, how might the map look?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.