"The Silk Roads: A New World History" by Peter Frankopan isn't specifically about ancient trade. But it is a fantastic world history from a Central Asian and Middle Eastern focus.

He does a great job of pointing out the global forces and trends that tied Asia and Europe together. Most histories look at Central Asia as a wasteland that divided the pre-modern world but Frankopan offers a view of a connected world that created Middle Eastern and Mediterranean empires supported by overland trade. It's no coincidence that the European discovery of sea routes to Asia in the 1400-1500's coincides with the economic decline of the Middle East.

Russia's launch and recovery vehicle is the most reliable system ever invented. The only reason Russia's space agency is relevant at all is because of this Soyuz system. If India wants to fill that niche they need to top the Russians on reliability and cost.