Final answer:
Vasco da Gama arrived in India seeking an all-water route to Asia to trade for spices and other luxuries without the costly overland journey and to bypass Italian merchants' monopoly. His success in reaching India was pivotal in establishing direct trade relations, although his methods were often brutal and controversial.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upon his arrival in India, Vasco da Gama stated he was searching for an all-water route to Southeast and East Asia to access spices, silks, porcelains, and other valuable goods that were costly due to the overland route and middlemen increasing their prices. Da Gama hoped finding an all-water route would eliminate these issues and allow his homeland, Portugal, to become very wealthy by bypassing the monopolized trade that had previously been controlled by northern Italian merchants. His goal was to establish direct trade relations and secure access to the lucrative trade in spices and other Eastern goods.
Da Gama's efforts were not purely commercial; they also had significant geopolitical implications. His success in reaching India and establishing direct trade routes led to further expeditions and the establishment of trading posts. However, the methods used to establish Portuguese dominance, such as attacking local Muslim merchants and forcing alliances on unequal terms, earned da Gama a contentious legacy.