The indistinct terms of "imperialism" and "colonialism" have led to uncertainty and ambiguity when assessing the activities carried out by the Portuguese and other Europeans in the Indian Ocean region. . The late 15th century and early 16th century have been referred to as the "Age of Discoveries", during which the Portuguese began to explore the world outside of Europe, through Vasco da Gama. Incidents that occurred over the next hundreds of years reflected European domination throughout the region, complementing the dubious means of imperialism or colonialism. Imperialism can be defined as "a policy aimed at expanding the power and influence of a country through diplomacy or military force" while colonialism is defined as "a policy or practice aimed at acquiring total control or partial on another country, to occupy it with settlers and to exploit it economically. . This essay will give a brief history of Europeans (especially the Portuguese as the first Europeans) in the Indian Ocean throughout the 16th to 17th centuries and also explain the process by which European activities in the Indian Ocean region should be described as “colonialism”. '. Additionally, I will describe the Europeans' justifications for dominating the people of this region. The Portuguese "Age of Discovery" led to the start of European expeditions that located pre-established trade networks that predated the "obsolete and inefficient" routes known as the Silk Road. Road. Faster travel via the west coast of Africa and around the Cape of Good Hope provided a preferred way to reach India and China without the danger of thieves and bandits. The discovery of the 'New World' by Columbus in 1492 and the signatories' commitment to the Treaty...... middle of paper ...... things have a negative connotation, for example Joseph Conrad described the imperialism as “the conquest of the land, which mostly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or a slightly flatter nose than us, is not a pretty thing when you look at it. When we try to characterize Europeans, it is obvious that they are intruders because of their involvement in a region to which they do not belong. Their activities indicate the existence of a use of military force, suggesting imperialism. However, Europeans also used the pre-established ports to further exploit them for commercial and economic advantages to increase and maximize their future profits. Thus, in accordance with the Oxford definition, it is obvious that European nations who interfered in the Indian Ocean trade network can be considered "colonialists ».”.