The
Portuguese India armadas (armadas da Índia) were the fleets of ships, organized by the
Portuguese crown and dispatched on an annual basis from
Portugal to
India, principally
Goa. These armadas undertook what was called the
Carreira da Índia ("India Run"), following the sea route around the
Cape of Good Hope opened up by
Vasco da Gama in 1497–1499.