The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated First ever ASEAN-India Cruise Dialogue here today. The meet hosted by India is being attended by all the member nations of ASEAN; i.e. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam along with Timor Leste. The Dialogue aims to strengthen maritime cooperation, enhance cruise connectivity, and promote sustainable tourism across the Indo-Pacific region.

The meet was held aboard the MV Empress (Cordelia Cruise ship) at Chennai Port, with more than 30 delegates from ASEAN countries. Along with the stakeholders and senior officials from the MoPSW, the event will continue in Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Union Minister was accompanied by the Union Minister of State for MoPSW, Shantanu Thakur among others.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said India plans to professionalize 5,000 km of navigable waterways to enhance cruise connectivity with ASEAN nations. Speaking at the inaugural ASEAN–India Cruise Dialogue in Chennai, Sonowal noted the Sagar Mala initiative aims for one million cruise passengers by 2029, with ship calls rising sharply from 102 in 2013–14 to over 14,000 today, driven by policy reforms, tax measures and improved port infrastructure.