Ganga to Brahmaputra: Rs 800-crore plan to take India's luxury river cruising global

Assam-based river cruise operator Assam Bengal Navigation is set to partner with global luxury cruise company Scenic Group in a major expansion of luxury river cruising on the Ganga and Brahmaputra, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on September 16.

Sonowal said the partnership is backed by a planned investment of Rs 750-800 crore over the next decade, which he said would help take luxury river cruising on the two rivers to global standards.

The announcement followed a meeting in New Delhi between Sonowal, a delegation from Scenic Group led by its founder and chairman Glen Moroney, and Assam Bengal Navigation Managing Director Ashish Phookan.

“India's revived and rapidly improving inland waterways are now rightfully attracting major global players,” Sonowal said in a post on X.

He also highlighted the involvement of Assam-based entrepreneurs in the proposed expansion, saying the partnership would help place India, particularly the Brahmaputra, on the global river-cruise map.

Assam Bengal Navigation has been operating river cruises on the Brahmaputra and Ganga since 2003. The company currently offers luxury cruise itineraries on both waterways, including journeys through Assam covering destinations such as Kaziranga and Majuli.

The proposed investment comes as the Centre steps up efforts to develop the Brahmaputra as a major tourism, transport and economic corridor.

In March 2026, the Centre announced projects including cruise terminals at Biswanath Ghat and Neamati in Assam, along with an elevated corridor connecting Pandu Port to National Highway-27. The projects are aimed at strengthening cruise tourism, trade, logistics and connectivity along National Waterway-2.

The Brahmaputra has already emerged as a potential cruise tourism destination, with Assam Tourism highlighting its wildlife, riverine landscapes, cultural heritage and access to destinations including Majuli and Kaziranga.

The potential of the Brahmaputra for international river cruising was also demonstrated by the 2023 voyage of MV Ganga Vilas from Varanasi to Dibrugarh. The cruise travelled through the Ganga-Brahmaputra river system and entered Assam through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

Sonowal said the latest partnership reflects growing international interest in India's inland waterways and the potential of the Ganga and Brahmaputra to emerge as major destinations for high-end river tourism.

The planned investment is expected to strengthen luxury cruise infrastructure and services while expanding the role of the Brahmaputra in Assam's tourism economy.