Indian Ocean trade routes since the old times include countries in the Arabian Gulf, East Africa, the Indian Peninsula, Bay of Bengal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and other small island states. From the ports and harbours on Bahr Faris (Arabian Gulf) and down to the Swahili Coast on the west to the ports and harbours on the far east to Malacca.

For centuries, Indian Ocean navigators, shipowners and merchants were the custodians of all trade routes that crisscrossed the Indian Ocean.

Ibn Battuta in his book The Rihla talks of his travels in the Maldives and all throughout the Indian Ocean trading ports.

Answer: The Hindu