Oil is the backbone for the economy of any country. Today India is among the largest oil importing countries in the world. Whether it is petroleum, diesel or other hydrocarbons. Without them, it is difficult to run the economy of modern India, but this tradition is not only today. Reversing the pages of history, it is known that the roots of oil imports extend to the Mughal period. Even though crude oil (crude oil) was not imported during that period, various types of oil and perfumes were called from foreign countries. The luxury life of the Mughals and the use of oil in their daily life shows the importance of this tradition.

Irfan Habib’s book The Agrarian System of Mughal India mentions that at that time, mustard, castor, flaxseed and sesame oil were prepared in large quantities in India. These oils were used in cooking. Mustard oil was the most common option to light a lamp. These oils had an important role in the body massage and medicinal uses. After extracting oil, the remaining part was used in animal food. Apart from this, a special attraction of Mughals was towards fragrant oils and perfumes. In the era of Akbar, the factory-e-AW was established, where roses prepared oil and perfumes from rose, jasmine and sandalwood.

Foreign oil and business relationship of Mughals
The Mughals used to get many oils in India, but olive oil and rose water had to be ordered from Persia (Iran) and Arabia. Olive oil was a favorite for foreign feasts and medicinal experiments. It was used a lot in rose water royal palaces and religious rituals. Along with oil, the Mughals were also inclined towards alcohol and opium. Alcohol was mainly sourced from Iran and Central Asia. Jahangir and Babur were considered fond of alcohol and opium, while Aurangzeb tried to stop it. This business dependence highlights the luxury of the Mughals and the global economic links of that era.

Iran and oil reserves then and now
Even today, when the oil import-export is discussed, Iran’s name definitely comes. According to the report of the World Population Review, the first number is Venezuela, the second on Saudi Arabia and Iran on the third. Iran has a huge reserves of about 2,08,600 million barrels of oil. This is the reason that Iran has remained an important center of oil trade since ancient times.

Modern India and oil imports
India today imports about 85% of its energy needs. India’s oil imports from Russia have increased significantly in recent years. Despite the pressures of America and Europe, India has made it clear that it will give priority to its energy security. During the Trump’s era, India was threatened with buying oil from Russia, but India has continued this policy. It is clear that the import of oil that started from the Mughal era is still an important part of India’s economic strategy.

Also read: Mughal Emperor Akbar: Who was Shehzadi Aram Banu Begum? Why Akbar used to sprinkle his life, know the story related to Haram’s butterfly