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Indian Ocean Monsoon Routes

Type Object Region Indian Ocean Time 1071–1080

The Indian Ocean monsoon routes are a seasonal long-distance shipping network formed by the alternating southwest and northeast monsoons, linking Eas…

Timeline

  1. c. 1071Arabian Sea to the Malabar Coast · Malabar CoastFrom April each year, the southwest monsoon drove Arab and East African merchant ships eastward via the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea to the Malabar, Coromandel, and Gujarat ports, carrying spices, frankincense, ivory, and metals, forming the main eastbound artery of Indian Ocean trade.
  2. c. 1075–1076Bay of Bengal to the Strait of Malacca · Strait of MalaccaFleets from South Indian and Bengal ports crossed the Bay of Bengal at the tail end of the southwest monsoon, reaching the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra to exchange cotton cloth, pearls, and forest products; Chola and Srivijaya merchants shared this segment of the monsoon window.
  3. c. 1079–1080India's west coast to the Red Sea · East AfricaFrom October, the northeast monsoon carried fleets westward from India and Southeast Asia to the Arabian Peninsula and East African ports, laden with cotton cloth, gems, and Southeast Asian goods; the annual monsoon rhythm gave ocean trade a predictable two-season shipping cycle.

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