Northwestern part of the Indian Ocean, lying between India and the Arabian Peninsula .
It has an area of about 1,491,000 sq miles (3,862,000 sq km) and an average depth of 8,970 feet (2,734 m). The Gulf of Oman connects it with the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz , while the Gulf of Aden connects it with the Red Sea via the Strait of Mandeb . The Indus is the principal river draining into the Arabian Sea. Socotra , Lakshadweep , and other islands lie within it. Chief ports are Mumbai (Bombay), India; Karachi , Pak.; and Aden , Yemen. The sea has been part of the principal trade route between Europe and India for centuries.