India is positioning itself as a major global player in fisheries and aquaculture, supported by robust policy reforms, expanding processing capacity and improving logistics, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said at a high-level roundtable conference with ambassadors and high commissioners on seafood export promotion.
Highlighting the country’s rapid progress, Singh said that enhancing India’s competitiveness in global seafood markets will require deeper international collaboration. He noted that the government is strengthening compliance, sustainability and transparency through a series of key policy initiatives introduced in 2025, including the National Framework on Traceability, updated Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, and revised High Sea Fishing Guidelines. These measures aim to ensure sustainable, export-oriented growth, particularly in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
The minister outlined a wide range of cooperation opportunities for partner countries, spanning advanced aquaculture and mariculture technologies, modern processing infrastructure, cold-chain logistics, vessel design, digital monitoring systems, joint research and development, technology transfer, climate resilience solutions, sustainable fisheries management, trade expansion and private-sector partnerships.
Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, S.P. Singh Baghel, underscored the strategic importance of the seafood sector, describing it as a critical source of nutrition, a major contributor to global food security, a generator of large-scale employment and a driver of national economic growth. He said the Department of Fisheries is adopting a comprehensive, value-chain-based approach—covering production, processing and exports—to ensure long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the sector.
According to the official statement, participating countries expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration with India in fisheries and aquaculture. Several nations highlighted opportunities in technology transfer, knowledge sharing, capacity building and joint ventures. Countries including China, Malaysia, France, Spain, Seychelles and Singapore specifically emphasised India’s growing stature as a reliable and strategic seafood trade partner.
The discussions reinforced India’s ambition to strengthen its global seafood footprint while aligning growth with sustainability, traceability and international best practices.
