Final answer:
Indian Ocean trade saw larger-scale growth starting from the tenth century, especially with the rise of the Chola kingdom and the spread of Islam influencing commercial networks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Indian Ocean trade began to scale up significantly during the tenth century. This expansive trade network stretched from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, down to Africa, and all the way around India to China. The pivotal role of the Indian Ocean in global trade was illustrated by the prosperity it brought to city-states along the coast, particularly those immediately south of the Horn of Africa, before the Portuguese arrived in the late fifteenth century.
In India, the ports on its western coast, such as those in the Sultanate of Gujarat, became central to world trade by the sixteenth century. The dominance of trade in the region by the Hindu Chola kingdom from about 970 to 1300 also marked a significant period of larger-scale growth, as they controlled important routes like the Palk Strait.
Furthermore, the growth of Islam enhanced Muslim influence in trade, establishing strong commercial connections that furthered the development of trade networks in the Indian Ocean.