Srivijaya, dominating the Malacca and Sunda straits, controls both the spice route traffic and local trade, charging a toll on passing ships.

Serving as an entrepôt for Chinese, Malay, and Indian markets, the port of Palembang, accessible from the coast by way of a river, has accumulated great wealth.

Although historical records and archaeological evidence are scarce, it appears that Srivijaya, with its main urban centers at Palembang, had by the seventh century established suzerainty over large areas of Sumatra, western Java and much of the Malay Peninsula.

Envoys travel to and from China frequently.

The relation between Srivijaya and the Chola dynasty of south India had been friendly during the reign of Raja Raja Chola I but beginning in 1025, during the reign of Rajendra Chola I, the Chola Dynasty starts to attack Srivijaya cities to protect Chola trade with China.

The kingdom survives, but henceforth will decline in importance.