India had 11,000 km of coastline but still managed to ban itself from the sea – “Nobody wanted to invest”
India has one of the world’s longest coastlines, yet its cruise industry remains tiny compared to countries with only a fraction of its shoreline. This case study reveals how decades of taxes, restrictive cabotage laws, and bureaucratic red tape prevented cruise tourism and waterways from reaching their potential. It also explores why India’s only major cruise operator, Cordelia Cruises, is both a monopoly and a risky business, and how recent government reforms could transform a forgotten industry into a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.