WI: Indian Ocean Hegemonic Maritime Empire?

Srivijaya is the more likely candidate. They were based in the Malacca Strait and had a sea empire from Aceh to Sulawesi and even had a Khmer empire as its vassal state. They regularly traded with the Indians and Arabs, but aside from some seemingly Indonesian/Malay looking and speaking people in Madigascar there is little evidence of direct trading with Africa.
 
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