India, ASEAN to develop cruise tourism in Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean

India will work with ASEAN to develop cruise tourism circuits in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday.

Sonowal inaugurated first ever ASEAN-India Cruise Dialogue here on Monday, according to a statement.

The meet hosted by India is being attended by all the member nations of ASEAN; i.e. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam along with Timor Leste.

"India plans to work with ASEAN countries to develop cruise tourism and tourism circuits in the Bay of Bengal as well as the Indian Ocean region.

"An integrated cruise network linking Indian ports with ASEAN destinations supported by real-time tracking and modern terminals is being envisaged, which will be deliberated in this meet," Sonowal said.

The Ports, Shipping and Waterways minister also said India plans to professionalise 5,000 km of navigable waterways to enhance cruise connectivity with ASEAN nations.

The statement said the dialogue aims to strengthen maritime cooperation, enhance cruise connectivity, and promote sustainable tourism across the Indo-Pacific region.

The meet was held aboard the MV Empress (Cordelia Cruise ship) at Chennai Port, with more than 30 delegates from ASEAN countries.

The statement said the dialogue serves as a high-level platform for collaboration on cruise tourism, port infrastructure development, regulatory alignment, and the identification of cruise routes connecting cultural and commercial centres across the Bay of Bengal and beyond.

It also envisions the establishment of an ASEANIndia Cruise Tourism Corridor, aligned with India's larger maritime vision, the statement added.