India will work with ASEAN countries to develop cruise tourism circuits in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the first-ever ASEAN-India Cruise Dialogue, Sonowal said the initiative aims to enhance maritime cooperation and strengthen tourism and port connectivity across the Indo-Pacific region.

The event, hosted by India at Chennai Port, was attended by delegates from all ASEAN member countries Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with Timor Leste.

"India plans to work closely with ASEAN nations to develop cruise tourism and tourism circuits in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean region," Sonowal said.

He added that an integrated cruise network connecting Indian ports with ASEAN destinations is being envisioned. This will be supported by real-time vessel tracking systems and modern passenger terminals.

"These ideas will be deliberated during the dialogue," the minister noted.

The government also aims to professionalise 5,000 km of navigable waterways to improve cruise connectivity with ASEAN nations, he added.

The dialogue, held aboard MV Empress (Cordelia Cruise Ship), brought together over 30 delegates and served as a high-level platform for discussions on cruise tourism, port infrastructure development, regulatory coordination, and identification of cruise routes linking cultural and commercial hubs in the region.

The event also explored the possibility of establishing an ASEAN-India Cruise Tourism Corridor as part of India's broader maritime vision.

Source: ET Infra. Com 

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