« Top Headlines » Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs  Delhi HC Rules GST Registration Cannot Be Cancelled Retrospectively Without a Clear Show Cause Notice (SCN)  Belated income tax return AY 2026-27: How to file, late filing charges and what you may lose  Major Financial Changes from August 1, 2026: ITR Deadline, RBI MPC Meeting, Tatkal Ticket Rules & More  Government proposes to ease tax relief conditions for offshore funds  TallyPrime Connected Banking: Automating Banking and Accounting  ITR Filing Deadline 2026: Is July 31 the Last Date to File Your Income Tax Return? Latest Official Update  ITR filing deadline nears: How to file income tax return online on e-filing portal - quick 15-step guide  Will the ITR Filing Deadline Be Extended Beyond July 31 for FY 2025-26? Here's the Latest Update for Taxpayers  Income Tax Refund Delayed for AY 2026-27? 5 Common Reasons Your Refund May Be Stuck and How to Fix It  ITR Filing 2026: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Asks Tax Officials to Let Honest Taxpayers Correct Genuine Mistakes  Will Your FCNR Deposit Stay Tax-Free After Returning to India? Tax Rules Explained for NRIs «  Defining FDI... Govt collects over Rs 1 lakh crore from direct taxes... » Cruise ship charters likely to get tax sops October, 05th 2007 In a bid to promote cruise ship tourism in the country, the government is planning to offer major tax exemptions to Indian firms chartering cruise ships. This is part of the countrys first ever cruise ship policy already circulated to various ministries. We have proposed to give various incentives including tax breaks to the cruiseliners. The policy is likely to be finalised in a couple of months, a shipping ministry official said. The ministry has also planned to build dedicated cruise terminals of international standards all across the west coast of the country. According to an estimate, the total number of cruise tourists all over the world stands at 15 million, of which Indian tourists comprise just 1% or 1.5 lakh. The total number of cruise passengers in the Asia-pacific region is projected to grow by more than 40% to 1.5 million by 2010. About 75% cruise tourists in India go for small voyages such as four nights and six nights. Unlike in India, cruise tourists in countries such as the US, the UK and Canada go for longer voyages ranging from three months to four months. Cruiseliners in India generally charge Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a night depending upon different ticket categories. Infrastructure related hurdles such as inadequate terminal facilities for cruise ships have been a major hurdle in the growth of cruise tourism in the country. There is just one dedicated cruise terminal at Mumbai in the country and that too is very difficult to access as you have to take at least 15 permissions before reaching the terminal, Royal Caribbean India representative Gautam Chadha said. But once the necessary infrastructure and conducive tax regime are in place, the sector would be on fast track, he added.