India Hosts First ASEAN Cruise Dialogue

On 30th June, 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the maiden ASEAN–India Cruise Dialogue in Chennai, marking a new chapter in maritime and tourism cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

The dialogue was held aboard MV Empress at Chennai Port and brought together over 30 delegates from all ten ASEAN countries along with Timor Leste.
The focus of the event was to explore ways to enhance cruise connectivity, foster sustainable tourism, and deepen cultural and economic engagement between India and Southeast Asia.
Sonowal reiterated India’s target to professionalise 5,000 km of navigable waterways and grow cruise passenger traffic to one million per year by 2029 under the Sagarmala initiative.
Plans were unveiled for an integrated cruise network linking Indian and ASEAN ports, aligning with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap and the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.