India has marked a new milestone in agri-food trade with the flagging off of the first chilled fish consignment exported to Oman under the India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), highlighting the strengthening of bilateral trade ties and expanding opportunities for India’s seafood sector.
The consignment was dispatched from Chennai and is expected to reach Oman as part of a faster and more streamlined trade channel enabled under the CEPA framework. The agreement aims to enhance market access, reduce trade barriers, and promote diversified exports between the two countries.
Officials said the export of chilled fish under CEPA reflects growing demand for high-quality seafood products in Gulf markets and underscores India’s ability to meet stringent international quality and cold-chain requirements. The shipment also demonstrates improved logistics efficiency and better coordination across the export supply chain.
India’s seafood industry, particularly in coastal states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Odisha, has been focusing on expanding value-added and chilled product exports to higher-value markets. Chilled fish exports require strict temperature control, rapid processing, and advanced cold-chain infrastructure to maintain freshness and quality.
The launch of this export route is expected to benefit fishermen, processors, exporters, and logistics providers by opening new commercial opportunities in Oman and potentially other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets. It also aligns with India’s broader strategy to increase agri-food exports and diversify its seafood export basket beyond frozen products.
Industry stakeholders noted that CEPA-driven trade facilitation could help reduce costs, improve market competitiveness, and encourage greater participation of small and medium exporters in international trade.
With the successful dispatch of the first chilled fish consignment, Chennai has emerged as an important gateway for expanding India’s seafood exports to West Asia, strengthening both trade connectivity and economic cooperation under the India–Oman CEPA framework.
