Tag: maritime trade

National

2,000-Year-Old Tamil-Brahmi Inscriptions Discovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, Rewriting Ancient Maritime History

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A groundbreaking discovery may reshape our understanding of ancient maritime trade routes. Researchers have identified 2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit inscriptions within the high-security royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt — a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Pharaonic burials.

The findings offer compelling new evidence of maritime trade connections between ancient Tamilakam (present-day Tamil Nadu and surrounding regions) and Egypt, dating back nearly two millennia. The inscriptions are believed to belong to the period between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE — a time corresponding to the height of Indo-Roman trade.

According to reports, 30 inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit were identified across six tombs in the Theban Necropolis. The site, located within ancient Thebes, is globally known for housing royal tombs including that of Tutankhamun.

The study was conducted during 2024 and 2025 by Professor Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO) and Professor Ingo Strauch of the University of Lausanne. The team documented inscriptions across multiple tombs, building upon the early 20th-century work of French scholar Jule Baillet, who surveyed the Valley of the Kings in 1926 and catalogued more than 2,000 Greek graffiti marks.

Commenting on the discovery, author and historian TS Krishnan noted that Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt are “not entirely unexpected.” He pointed to well-established maritime trade networks between ancient Tamilakam and the Mediterranean world, particularly Egypt, during the Sangam age.

Krishnan also referenced earlier discoveries, including a broken pottery shard bearing Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt, read as “Paanai Uri,” interpreted as “a pot hung by rope” or “suspended vessel.” The artefact is generally dated to around the 1st century CE.

The presence of Indian inscriptions inside royal Egyptian tomb complexes suggests that Indian merchants may have travelled deep into Egyptian territory, leaving behind tangible traces of cross-cultural contact.

If further authenticated and studied, this discovery could significantly expand the historical narrative of Indo-Egyptian relations and reinforce evidence of India’s extensive maritime networks during antiquity.

Business

ONE delegates visit Delta Ports to assess container-handling infrastructure, express strong interest in Goa Port

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A senior delegation from Ocean Network Express (ONE), Mumbai, visited Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Private Limited on June 16 to assess the terminal’s container-handling infrastructure—a move seen as a major step towards strengthening regional trade and economic growth in Goa.
ONE, a leading global carrier operating over 260 vessels with a total capacity exceeding 2 million TEU, was represented by its Managing Director Masahiro Sakikubo. Sakikubo, along with the visiting delegates, undertook a detailed tour of the port terminal before participating in a high-level meeting at the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA).
The meeting was attended by MPA Chairperson Dr. VinodKumar, senior MPA authorities, Delta Ports’ top management including Managing Director Ahmed Mohiuddin, Director Shamil Ahmed, Vice President Raghoba Kotkar, GM Operations Pravir Patnaik, and Sr. Manager Business Development Vishnu Prasad. Agents for ONE LINE Goa, Biju Mohan and Nilesh, were also present.

The ONE team showed strong interest in the ongoing developments at Delta Ports, especially regarding the potential resumption of container services. The visit was the result of continuous stakeholder engagement and is seen as a positive indication for the future of Goa Port.
ONE has expressed a firm interest in calling at Goa Port, subject to feeder operator support. Unifeeder is actively assessing the feasibility of adding Goa to its network and is in talks with CMA CGM, ONE, Maersk, MSC, and HMM to ensure container volume commitments post-monsoon.
The MPA chairperson assured full support and incentives to facilitate these developments. Meanwhile, Delta Ports is also in discussions with the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) to include Goa in the SMILE (Sci-Middle-East-India-Liner-Express) Service. This initiative aims to reduce road transport dependency and support coastal cargo movement for commodities such as salt, industrial salt, tiles, bentonite, and manufactured goods—offering a major boost to local industries.
With these initiatives, Goa’s exporters and importers are poised to gain direct global connectivity from their home port, enabling MSMEs to expand internationally with reduced logistics costs.