Public policies and sustainability governance in India’s island cruise tourism: assessing community spillover pathways in Union Territories

Launched on 30 September 2024, is India’s Cruise Bharat Mission (CBM) targets growth from approximately 460,000 sea cruise passengers in 2024 to 1 million by March 2029 and 5 million by 2047. In the island Union Territories (UTs) of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) and Lakshadweep, this trajectory raises governance challenges regarding ecological sensitivity and social costs This study adopts a multi-method policy analysis combining Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2024 microdata, qualitative policy analysis and comparative governance. In 2024, tourism employment reached 15.6% in ANI and 12.1% in Lakshadweep. A cross-sectional regression across 36 states and UTs (R 2 = 0.068) finds no statistically significant association between visitor volumes and tourism employment share. Using a community spillover extension of the CruisERT framework, the study examines shore excursions and homestays for informal livelihoodsand cultural commodification risk. Comparative analysis suggests CBM provisions lag behind international benchmarks in emission controls, benefit-sharing, and carrying capacity enforcement. As CBM Phase 2 (October 2025 to March 2027) progresses, the paper recommends excursion revenue quotas, statutory carrying capacity designations, green shipping incentives, and SDG-aligned monitoring.