India hosted the first-ever ASEAN–India Cruise Dialogue on June 28, 2025, aboard the MV Empress at Chennai Port, bringing together senior delegates from all 10 ASEAN nations and Timor-Leste. The event aimed to enhance maritime connectivity, promote sustainable cruise tourism, and deepen economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized India’s goal of handling one million cruise passengers annually by 2029, aligned with the Sagarmala initiative and Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. He also proposed establishing a dedicated ASEAN–India cruise circuit, supported by modern port infrastructure and real-time maritime systems.

The dialogue, continuing in Mamallapuram, featured thematic sessions on investment, port upgrades, visa facilitation, and green cruise standards. Minister of State Shantanu Thakur highlighted the dialogue’s alignment with India’s Act East Policy, reviving historic maritime bonds through the blue economy. Delegates discussed collaborative frameworks to institutionalize the dialogue as an annual platform, aiming to position India and ASEAN as emerging cruise tourism hubs within the Global South.

A. Priyadharshini