India Hosts First ASEAN Cruise Dialogue

• 01 Jul 2025

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.