The blurred terms of "imperialism" and "colonialism" have led to uncertainties and ambiguities in the evaluation of the activities carried out by the Portuguese and other Europeans in the Indian Ocean region. The late 15th century and early 16th century were labeled the "Age of Discoveries", in which the Portuguese began exploration of the world outside of Europe, through Vasco da Gama. The incidents that occurred over the next hundred years reflected European dominance throughout the region that complemented the questionable means of imperialism or colonialism. Imperialism can be defined as “a policy of extending the power and influence of a country through diplomacy or military force” while colonialism is defined as “a policy or practice of acquiring total or partial control over a another country, occupying it with settlers and exploiting it economically." . This essay will provide a brief history of Europeans (especially the Portuguese as the first Europeans) in the Indian Ocean from the 16th to 17th centuries and will also explain how European activities in the Indian Ocean region should be labeled as “colonialism”. '. I will also outline the Europeans' justifications for dominating the peoples of this region. The Portuguese "Age of Discovery" led to the beginning of European expeditions that located the established trade networks that preceded the "obsolete and inefficient" routes known as the Silk. Street. Faster travel across the west coast of Africa and around the Cape of Good Hope provided a prime method of reaching India and China without the danger of thieves and bandits. Columbus' discovery of the "New World" in 1492 and commitment to signing the Treaty......half of the document......has a negative connotation, for example Joseph Conrad described imperialism as " the conquest of the land, which mainly means taking it away from those who have a different complexion or a slightly flatter nose than ours, is not a pretty thing when you look at it. When you try to label Europeans, it is obvious that they are interlopers due to their involvement in a region to which they do not belong. They conclude that the use of military force is present, suggesting imperialism. However, Europeans also used established ports for further exploitation for commercial and economic purposes to increase and maximize their future profits. Therefore, according to the Oxford definition, it is evident that European nations that entered the Indian Ocean trade network can be considered “colonialist”.”.”.