India’s river cruise tourism is growing quickly, thanks to strong government support, better infrastructure, and rising interest from international cruise companies.

In 2024-25, the number of cruise trips on India’s National Waterways went up to 443, which is a 19.4% increase compared to 371 trips in the previous year. This shows that more people are now interested in travelling by cruise ships on rivers inside the country.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is leading many big changes to make India a top destination for river cruises. One of the biggest projects is the Cruise Bharat Mission, which plans to create 51 new river cruise circuits on 47 National Waterways across 14 states and 3 union territories by 2027.

A major step forward is the entry of Viking Cruises into India. The company announced the launch of Viking Brahmaputra, a river cruise ship for 80 guests. It will be made in India by Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kolkata. This cruise will begin operating on the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway-2) in late 2027. This is an important moment for India, showing how foreign companies are now investing in Indian river tourism.

In 2013-14, there were only five cruise ships on three waterways. Now, in 2024-25, there are 25 cruise ships on 13 waterways. Famous cruise routes like the Sundarbans in West Bengal, Brahmaputra in Assam, and Alappuzha in Kerala are becoming more popular with tourists.

One proud moment for this sector was the MV Ganga Vilas cruise. It became the world’s longest river cruise, covering 3,200 km across five Indian states and Bangladesh. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 and is now listed in the Limca Book of Records.

To grow this sector further, IWAI is working with state governments. MoUs have been signed with Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir to develop cruise tourism on rivers like the Narmada, Yamuna, Jhelum, Ravi, and Chenab.

Cruise terminals are also coming up in Varanasi, Guwahati, Patna, and Kolkata, along with four more in the Northeast at Silghat, Biswanath Ghat, Neamati, and Guijan.

With a target to triple cruise passengers from 0.5 million to 1.5 million, the Cruise Bharat Mission is opening a new chapter for green, cultural, and joyful river tourism in India.

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