Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did the Indian Ocean form during the breakup of Pangea?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Pangea
Distribution of landmasses, mountainous regions, shallow seas, and deep ocean basins near the end of the Permian Period. Included in the paleogeographic reconstruction are the locations of the interval's subduction zones.
The formation of the Indian Ocean was a complex, multi-stage process resulting from the breakup of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, which had previously been part of the larger supercontinent Pangea.123
The ocean's development involved several key tectonic events:
- Initial Rifting: The central Indian Ocean began to open approximately 140 million years ago when India—then attached to Madagascar—separated from Antarctica and Australia.23
- Northward Migration: Following this separation, the Indian subcontinent began a significant northeastward movement. Between 90 and 80 million years ago, India and Madagascar separated, leading to a reorganization of the ocean's spreading ridges.13
- Final Configuration: The ocean continued to evolve as Africa moved westward and Australia rifted away from Antarctica, a process that accelerated around 53 million years ago. By approximately 36 million years ago, the Indian Ocean had achieved its present-day configuration.13
While the ocean first began opening about 140 million years ago, the majority of its basin is less than 80 million years old.1