by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:15 AM ET, Tue September 22, 2026
Scenic Group is expanding its luxury river cruise operations in India through a new partnership with Assam Bengal Navigation, with plans to have two Scenic ultra-luxury river ships operating in the country by 2029-30.
The long-term agreement will bring Scenic’s international luxury cruise operations together with Assam Bengal Navigation’s more than 20 years of experience operating river cruises on the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers.
The partnership will give Scenic access to the Brahmaputra River, where future cruises will highlight the region’s landscapes, wildlife, cultural traditions and riverside communities. The program will complement Scenic’s planned Hooghly River cruises in West Bengal, which are scheduled to begin in 2027.
“India offers extraordinary potential for luxury river cruising,” says Glen Moroney, founder and chairman of Scenic Group. “Our partnership with Assam Bengal Navigation gives us the benefit of deep local expertise and an established operating platform, while allowing Scenic to bring its international experience in luxury cruising to the market.”
The agreement was confirmed following a meeting in Delhi involving Moroney, Ashish Phookan, founder and managing director of Assam Bengal Navigation, and Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s union minister of ports, shipping and waterways.
“ABN has spent more than two decades developing river cruising on the Brahmaputra and Ganges,” says Phookan. “This partnership brings together our operating experience and knowledge of India’s rivers with Scenic’s global luxury cruise expertise, brand and international distribution.”
Scenic’s first India ship, Scenic Aura, is scheduled to begin sailing the Hooghly River in October 2027. The 44-guest ship will operate a 10-night Hooghly River itinerary through West Bengal as part of a broader 2027-28 program that also includes land journeys in India and Sri Lanka.
The itinerary will visit cities, religious sites, historic palaces and artisan communities, with Scenic offering its all-inclusive luxury cruise format.
Scenic says the response to the inaugural Hooghly program has been strong, with limited availability remaining for some departures.
The Brahmaputra expansion will give Scenic a second river-cruising destination in India as the company works to establish a larger presence in the market. The company says additional details about the future Brahmaputra program, including itineraries and booking availability, will be announced later.
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