India plans 51 river cruise circuits across 14 states under Cruise Bharat Mission
The move is part of a broader effort to position India as a premier global destination for river-based tourism.
A key development under this initiative is the announcement by Viking Cruises, a renowned global cruise operator, of its entry into the Indian market. The company plans to launch the Viking Brahmaputra, an 80-guest luxury river cruise vessel, in late 2027. The ship will be indigenously built by Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kolkata, and will operate along National Waterway-2, which traverses the mighty Brahmaputra River in Assam.
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This announcement is being seen as a strong signal of foreign investor confidence in India's emerging river cruise sector. With Viking's global brand and India's rich cultural and ecological diversity, the combination could set new benchmarks for luxury inland tourism in South Asia.
A sector on the rise
River cruise tourism in India is no longer a niche. From just five vessels on three national waterways in 2013-14, the industry has grown to 25 cruise vessels operating across 13 national waterways by 2024-25.
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The number of river cruise voyages has also seen a sharp rise, from 371 in 2023-24 to 443 in 2024-25, reflecting a 19.4% growth in just one year.
This growth is backed by policy support, public-private partnerships, and strong infrastructure development led by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). The authority is currently developing dedicated cruise terminals in Varanasi, Guwahati, Patna, and Kolkata, while four more terminals are in the pipeline in Silghat, Biswanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan in the Northeast.
Cruise Bharat Mission highlights
The Cruise Bharat Mission aims to unlock the tourism potential of 47 national waterways, and boost regional economies through sustainable, eco-friendly tourism. Popular circuits such as the Sundarbans in West Bengal, the Brahmaputra in Assam, and the backwaters of Alappuzha in Kerala are already drawing steady streams of domestic and international tourists.
The sector's most high-profile achievement so far is the MV Ganga Vilas, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023.
Covering 3,200 km across five Indian states and Bangladesh, it is now recognized as the world's longest river cruise, and was recently featured in the Limca Book of Records.
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To further accelerate growth, IWAI has signed MoUs with Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and others, targeting cruise development on rivers like the Narmada, Yamuna etc.
With the Cruise Bharat Mission targeting a threefold increase in cruise passengers—from 0.5 million to 1.5 million annually—India is poised to make waves in the global river cruising map. The coming years promise not just scenic voyages, but a new chapter in economic, cultural, and tourism-led development along India's majestic rivers.
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