India’s cruise tourism sector is set for a significant expansion with the government’s Cruise Bharat Mission. As part of the initiative, 51 new cruise circuits will be introduced across 14 states and three Union Territories by 2027.
Marking a milestone in river tourism, Viking Cruises has announced its entry into the Indian market with Viking Brahmaputra—an 80-guest river vessel expected to launch operations in late 2027. The ship will be indigenously built by Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kolkata and will operate along National Waterway-2.
India’s river cruise segment continues to show strong growth. Cruise voyages on national waterways have risen from 371 in 2023–24 to 443 in 2024–25, reflecting a 19.4% increase in traffic and traveler interest.
From just five vessels on three waterways in 2013–14, India now operates 25 vessels across 13 national waterways.
To support this growth, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is developing cruise terminals along the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, including sites in Varanasi, Guwahati, Kolkata, and Patna. Additional terminals at Silghat, Biswanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan in the northeast are also in the pipeline by 2027.
