The Bani Khalid established their hold over Eastern Arabia and extended their power in the area from Qatar to Kuwait in the first half of the 18th century. Zubara which already emerged as one of the important sea ports in the Gulf in view of the increased exportation of pearls to the different parts of the world became the headquarters of the Bani Khalid administration in Qatar and the principal transit port for their Eastern and the Central Arabian territories. The importations made from Surat of India to the port of Zubara were Surat blue and other piece goods, cotton and coarse fabrics, woolen shawls, chadors, bamboo, coffee, sugar, pepper, spices, iron, tin, oil, ghee, rice, etc. Part of these importations was retained at Zubara for the consumption there and its immediate vicinities and the remainder were conveyed by means of Camels to Dariyah in Nejd and to Al-Hasa including the other districts under the jurisdiction of Bani Khalid.