India working with ASEAN to develop Caribbean-like Cruise circuit, Govt says

India is working with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen maritime cooperation, enhance cruise shipping connectivity, and promote sustainable tourism across the Indo-Pacific region, said the Indian government. India is hosting the second edition of the ASEAN Cruise dialogue, and this is the first time that the event is being held in India. According to officials, the plan is to develop a route similar to the Caribbean cruise circuit in India's neighbourhood. A Caribbean cruise circuit refers to a planned route that a cruise ship follows as it sails through various ports in the Caribbean Sea. It typically starts from one port, visits two or three other ports and returns to the origin port, making it a loop or circuit.

The meeting held in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is being attended by all the member nations of ASEAN: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor Leste. According to India's Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, this multilateral dialogue is meant to develop collaboration and cooperation to promotethe cruise shipping industry and make use of its full potential.

During the ongoing meet, the delegation will visit the UNESCO World Heritage town of Mamallapuram, near Chennai. They will deliberate on heritage-led cruise tourism and deeper ASEAN–India collaboration. Delegates will also tour the shore temples and rock-cut monuments, highlighting India’s cultural and coastal tourism appeal.

"We are joining hands so that, in this part of the world, ASEAN and India can play an important role. India plans to operationalise 5,000 km of navigable waterways to enhance cruise connectivity with ASEAN nations. India plans to work with ASEAN countries to develop cruise tourism and tourism circuits in the Bay of Bengal as well as the Indian Ocean region. An integrated cruise network linking Indian ports with ASEAN destinations, supported by real-time tracking and modern terminals, is being envisaged which will be deliberated in this meet," Sonowal said. Highlighting the growth in the Indian cruise shipping sector, the minister said that there has been a more than fivefold growth in passengers over the last decade.

Event participants include government officials and policy leaders, as well as industry leaders from the region. They are also deliberating on connectivity gaps, regulatory best practices, and pathways to promote inclusive and sustainable cruise growth in the region. The Government of India envisions the ASEAN–India Cruise Dialogue as a recurring multilateral forum that will serve as a strategic enabler for regional maritime growth and people-to-people connectivity. This edition marks a significant step in positioning India and ASEAN at the centre of cruise tourism in the Indo-Pacific.