From Centuries of Indian Ocean Trade to Maritime Security and Economic Cooperation

The relationship between India and Somaliland should not be viewed as a new geopolitical idea. Its roots extend deep into the Indian Ocean trading system, where the Horn of Africa, Arabia and South Asia were connected for centuries by maritime commerce. Berbera, in particular, served as an important gateway linking the Somaliland interior with Aden and wider Asian markets. Today, this historical connection can provide a foundation for a modern partnership based on trade, investment, maritime security and regional connectivity.

A Relationship Older Than the British Protectorate

Archaeological research around Berbera has demonstrated the long-standing participation of the Somaliland coast in Indian Ocean trade. Research on trading sites has identified substantial quantities of Asian ceramics, indicating sustained commercial interaction between the Horn of Africa and Asia centuries before the establishment of the British Somaliland Protectorate.

This history is important because it shows that commercial links between Somaliland and the wider Indian Ocean were not created by British colonial rule. The British period later expanded and institutionalised regional connections, but it formed only one chapter in a much older maritime trading history.

Berbera: The Gateway Between Somaliland and the Indian Ocean

Berbera became the principal port of British Somaliland and was closely connected with Aden. Historical accounts describe Berbera as a major commercial gateway through which imported goods reached Somaliland and goods from the interior were exported to international markets.

Imports included cotton textiles, rice,........

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