Quite weak...? -_- Portugal had tremendous advantagous in terms of logistics and knowledge, not without mentioning a superior geographical position, as well as initial financing of expeditions by the burgher community which was good enough to fund initial expeditions and was quickly reinforced. Talking about carving an Empire in a location previously completely unknown to the nation (India and the Indian Sea) and inhabitted mostly by hostile States, demonstrated great wile and resolve. Furthermore, the Portuguese fleet was vastly superior to the Dutch and English fleets and could very well maintain a thalassocracy over the Indian Seas, were it not for the Iberian union and consequent loss of most of the Portuguese fleet in the Spanish Invicible Armada. Truth is, Portugal only started getting threats to its Empire after the collapse of the Spanish Armada (And thusly) the Portuguese fleet.
Anyways, sticking to the topic, I myself as a Portuguese don't feel offended in any way by the implementation of indian cultures in Portugal, since it influences the AI in such a way that the Portuguese A.I. has a more historical decision making, in terms of enemies than without those cultures.