Overseas explorations by the Portuguese in the early modern period to harness trade control found their key footing in the Indian Subcontinent after the inaugural voyage of Vasco da Gama in the 15th century CE. Arriving in Calicut (present day Kozhikode) in the southern part of the subcontinent marked the beginnings of global imperialism that was dominated by the West. Subsequent expeditions during this period by the Portuguese resulted in settlements, military and administrative centers, which led to the establishment of their earliest colony across Western and Southern India. The region of Goa emerged as an important center. Cultural exchanges were inevitable, which were transferred into the fields of art and architecture, resulting in a hybrid idiom. It combined European designs with indigenous elements supported by local craftsmanship.