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India ought to be busy with cruise ships. It has 7500 kilometres of coastline, archipelagos such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, dozens of navigable rivers, splendid landscapes, and dense historical and cultural sights. Many travellers have concerns about travel logistics and health standards, which also ought to make cruising the attractive see-India option. Yet, the cruise market in India is valued at just 1 per cent of the world total. The reason? Whether cruise-goers want to visit or not, few cruise ships sail there. But that is about to change as the Indian government’s Cruise Bharat Mission, launched in 2024, gathers steam. Among its big ambitions are 10 new ocean terminals, 100 river terminals and the luring of more ships to India’s shores. It hopes to see 500 port arrivals by 2030, more than double the current number.
