Answer:
It was already an important trade route for silk trade. During the 'age of discovery' in the 1500s the Indian Ocean was being explored by sailors to find a route around Africa.[1]
The Indian Ocean, the third largest saline-water body of the world, derives its name from India. A part of the World Ocean body, the Indian Ocean covers 20% of the Earth’s main water surface, which attributes to a total of one-fifth of the world’s ocean area.[2]
However, the warmth of the ocean resists the growth of phytoplankton, except for a few spots here and there, across the water body. Indian Ocean is the warmest ocean in the world. Indian Ocean is known as 'Ratnakara' in the ancient Sanskrit literature. Hence, life thriving in the Indian Ocean is limited.[3]