The Dutch were in a good position to compete with the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean for a number of reasons, including:-
The Dutch had faster, cheaper, and more powerful ships than their competitors.
The Dutch had the largest fleet in the world.
Control of the Spice Islands
The Dutch took direct control of the Spice Islands and captured Malacca (1641), Colombo (1656), and Cochin (1663).
The Dutch Empire was instilled with capitalist values of competition and mercantilism.
The Dutch were primarily interested in trade and the profits it could produce.
The Dutch East India Company sent merchants to Asia. The Dutch could import to Europe three times the quantities of spices the Portuguese could transport.