The Indian Ocean Trade Networks primarily facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies between regions such as China, India, and the Islamic world, contributing to the spread of _______ to places like Indonesia.

The Indian Ocean Trade Networks helped traders carry not only spices and textiles but also ideas and technologies across long distances. Because ships sailed from China, India and the Islamic world to the Indonesian islands, people there heard about and adopted new beliefs and customs. One of the most important ideas that spread was Islam, the religion that came from the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. For example, a trader from Gujarat might have brought a mosque and a Muslim scholar to Java, where locals began to learn Arabic and Islamic prayers, showing how trade routes were also routes for religion. Thus, the networks were key in spreading Islam to places like Indonesia.