In 1505, the King of Portugal appointed a governor in India for a three-year term and equipped the incumbent with sufficient force to protect the Portuguese interests.
Francisco De Almeida, the newly appointed governor, was asked to consolidate the position of the Portuguese in India.
Almeida’s vision was to make the Portuguese the master of the Indian Ocean. His policy was known as the ‘Blue Water Policy’ i.e. to be powerful at sea instead of building fortresses on land.
Albuquerque succeeded Almeida as the Portuguese governor in India
FAQs
Almeida is credited with establishing Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean with his victory at the naval Battle of Diu in 1509.
Almeida was the first Portuguese to arrive in Bombay by sea in 1509. He went after Meliqueaz, to whom he had sent a frightening letter, and the Mamluk Mirocem, leading a fleet of 23 ships near the port of Diu, in the naval Battle of Diu on 3 February 1509.
Franciso de Almeida introduced the Blue water policy (Cartaze System). “Blue Water” policy was to be powerful at the sea instead of building forts on Indian land.
Francisco de Almeida, the Viceroy of Portuguese possessions in India opposed establishing a territorial empire in India and wanted the Portuguese should maintain supremacy on the sea and confine their activities to purely commercial transactions. This policy is known as Bluewater policy.