How did the Monsoon winds influence trade in the Indian Ocean during the 14th and 15th centuries?

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the monsoon winds—strong seasonal breezes that shift direction between summer and winter—made sailing across the Indian Ocean predictable and fast. Ships from Arabia, India, and Southeast Asia timed their departures so that the easterly wind in the summer carried them westward toward the Arabian coast, while the westerly wind in the winter brought them eastward back to the Indian and Malay coasts. This allowed merchants to plan regular, year‑round voyages, boosting the flow of spices, textiles, and precious metals between ports like Calicut, Aden, and Malacca. A simple example is a spice trader in Calicut who would set sail in late October when the wind turned west, arrive in Aden by December, and return by March when the wind reversed, ensuring a steady exchange of goods. The reliability of these winds turned the Indian Ocean into a bustling, interconnected trade network.