Ka cika wannan furcin: A ƙarni na biyar A.Z., hanyoyin kasuwanci tsakanin Gabas da Yamma sun ta'allaka ne a kan hanyar teku. 'Yan kasuwa na ƙasashen waje sun fara amfani da sabbin hanyoyi kamar Malacca da Sunda Strait saboda ci gaban kudu maso gabashin Asiya. Wannan canjin ya haifar da faduwar Funan, yayin da sabbin iko na teku kamar Srivijaya, Tarumanagara, da Medang suka bayyana. Srivijaya musamman ya zama babban iko na teku fiye da ƙarni 5, yana sarrafa duka Malacca Strait da Sunda Strait. Wannan rinjaye ya fara raguwa lokacin da Srivijaya ya kasance
Chola Empire, wanda ya mamaye ikon teku na Indiya, ya mamaye shi a 1025. Harin ya sake fasalin iko da kasuwanci a yankin, wanda ya haifar da hauhawar sabbin ikon yanki kamar daular Khmer da Kahuripan. Ci gaba da hulɗar kasuwanci tare da Daular Sin ya ba Cholas damar yin tasiri ga al'adun gida. Yawancin misalan da suka tsira na tasirin al'adun Hindu da aka samo a yau a duk kudu maso gabashin Asiya sakamakon binciken Chola ne.