Scenic Group has signed a long term partnership with Indian river cruise operator Assam Bengal Navigation (ABN) that will take the Scenic brand onto the Brahmaputra River, with two Scenic river ships planned to be operating in India by the 2029/30 season.
The agreement combines ABN’s operating experience on the Brahmaputra and Ganges, where the company has run river cruises for more than two decades, with Scenic’s international distribution and all inclusive luxury product. The deal was confirmed following a meeting in Delhi between Scenic Group founder and chairman Glen Moroney, ABN founder and managing director Ashish Phookan, and Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Moroney said the partnership gives Scenic access to local expertise and an established operating platform in India, and described Scenic Aura as the first step in what the company expects to be a long term commitment to the market. Scenic is positioning the Brahmaputra as a complement to its Hooghly River programme, with itineraries expected to focus on wildlife, landscapes, cultural traditions and remote riverside communities.
The expansion builds on Scenic Aura, a 44 guest ship due to begin sailing the Hooghly River in West Bengal from October 2027. Its inaugural 2027/28 season pairs a 10 night Hooghly cruise with land journeys across India and Sri Lanka, taking in cities, sacred sites, historic palaces and artisan communities. Scenic reports strong demand for the inaugural season and says limited availability remains. The company has framed Aura and the Brahmaputra expansion together as the foundation of a broader strategy to develop river cruise and land journey product across India and the wider region.