The best response to the question regarding the development of maritime empires compared to land-based empires in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries is:
The maritime empires focused on control of trade routes in the Indian Ocean rather than the control of people and land.
This statement highlights the primary distinction between maritime and land-based empires during that period. Maritime empires were more concerned with trade and commerce, while land-based empires tended to emphasize the conquest and governance of territory and populations.