Viking Cruises will launch an indigenous cruise vessel, Viking Brahmaputra, on the Brahmaputra river by late 2027.

The vessel, to be developed by Hooghly Cochin Shipyard in Kolkata, will operate on National Waterway-2, covering 891 km from the Bangladesh border to Sadiya. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, “Viking Cruises has announced its entry into India’s river cruise market with Viking Brahmaputra, an 80-guest vessel scheduled to begin operations in late 2027, signalling heightened interest and investment in the river cruise tourism sector.”

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is building cruise terminals in Varanasi, Guwahati, Kolkata, Patna, and four locations in Assam—Silghat, Biswanath Ghat, Nimatighat, and Guijan. River cruise tourism has grown from five vessels in 2013-14 to 25 vessels across 13 national waterways in 2024-25.

Notable voyages include MV Ganga Vilas, flagged off by Prime Minister Modi in 2023, which covered 3,200 km and entered the Limca Book of Records. The government’s Rs Cruise Bharat Mission aims to triple cruise passengers to 1.5 million by 2027 while promoting eco-friendly tourism.