By Amruta Talawadekar, Senior Research Associate, Maritime History Society
India has a vast coastline, geographically gifted harbours and strategically located islands. Its prime position within the Indian Ocean Region made the subcontinent a crucial link between the east and west trade routes. As a result, it often invited intruders whose intentions changed from explorations to annexations leading to several battles. These battles lie in an inconspicuous corner of our history books. One of the battles that changed the course of India’s maritime history was the Battle of Diu that marked the beginning of European dominance in Indian waters.
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