Oman & Kerala , a 1000+ year connection

The connection between Oman and Kerala stretches back more than a millennium, rooted in Indian Ocean maritime trade. Omani sailors and merchants regularly sailed to Kerala’s Malabar Coast, especially ports like Muziris, exchanging spices—most notably pepper—for dates, horses, and textiles. These early contacts fostered deep cultural ties and helped introduce Islam to Kerala peacefully through traders and scholars such as Malik ibn Dinar. Over centuries, this relationship shaped coastal trade networks, religious life, and Kerala’s long-standing connections with the Arab world, making it one of the oldest continuous links in Indian Ocean history.