Seafood export competitiveness will require stronger International collaboration
The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, successfully organised the Round Table Conference on Seafood Export Promotion under the chairmanship of Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj today at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. The session was held in the presence of Shri George Kurian, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Minority Affairs, and Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The Conference witnessed participation from Diplomats representing 40 countries, including Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other Senior Mission Officials from Albania, Angola, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Iceland, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Senegal, Moldova, Togo, Benin, Qatar, Mexico, Venezuela, Vietnam, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Iraq, Mali, Norway, Republic of Guinea, Russia, Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia; spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania and Latin America & the Caribbean. Representatives from International Organisations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) also participated. Senior officials from the Department of Fisheries and various Line Ministries of the Government of India were present as well.
In his address, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh highlighted India’s emergence as a major global fisheries and aquaculture player, backed by strong policies, processing capacity and logistics, with seafood export values doubling over the past decade. He emphasized that India is strengthening compliance and transparency, through the National Framework on Traceability (2025), EEZ Rules (2025) and updated High Sea Fishing Guidelines (2025), with focus on sustainable, export‑oriented growth in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. He underlined wide cooperation opportunities in advanced aquaculture and mariculture technologies, processing, cold chains, vessel design, digital monitoring, joint R&D, technology transfer, climate resilience, sustainable fisheries management, trade expansion and private‑sector partnerships.
Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying & Panchayati Raj underlined that seafood is a vital source of nutrition, contributes significantly to global food security, generates large-scale employment, and strengthens national economies. He underlined that the Department of Fisheries, Government of India is adopting a comprehensive value-chain approach, from production to export to ensure the sector’s sustainable development.
George Kurian, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minority Affairs highlighted India’s rapid aquaculture growth, noting strong production gains and the Department’s aspiration to raise seafood exports to ₹1 lakh crore. He shared that export values have risen by 21% in the past seven months, reflecting robust sectoral momentum. He also thanked participating countries for their cooperation and partnership in enabling this meaningful dialogue.
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Union Secretary, Department of Fisheries delivered keynote address and noted that India’s seafood export is witnessing rapid growth driven by increasing formalization and digitalization, leading to enhanced production and rising seafood export volumes. He emphasized that today the sector is defined by quality packaging, regulatory alignment, and strong traceability systems. Terming the discussions as highly valuable, he noted that India already has several Joint Working Groups (JWGs) and would also initiate bilateral discussions to take the collaboration forward.
Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), set the context for strengthening India’s global seafood presence and highlighted the Department’s strong commitment to food safety, traceability, and international certifications to meet global quality expectations. He noted that this Conference aims to facilitate meaningful exchange on sustainability, investment opportunities, and emerging technologies.(updated on21st january 2026)
