The loss of Kandahar in 1649 to the Safavid Persians dealt a major blow to the Mughal Empire primarily because it was a strategically important center. Control over Kandahar was vital for Mughal security, as it guarded the main trade routes to Persia and Central Asia and served as a crucial defense against invaders from the northwest. The correct answer is (B) From the perspective of a strategically important center.
Share
The loss of Kandahar to the Persians in 1649 was a severe blow to the Mughal Empire, fundamentally weakening it from the perspective of a strategically important center. Kandahar was militarily crucial because it provided a strong defensive outpost and secured the main mountain passes into India. Economically, it controlled the lucrative trade routes connecting India with Central and West Asia. Its permanent loss marked a decline in Mughal prestige and strained the imperial treasury through costly, failed attempts to recapture it.