New Delhi | January 21, 2026 | 11:48 PM (PIB):
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (also known as Lalan Singh), emphasised the need for strong international cooperation to enhance India’s competitiveness in marine seafood exports. He was addressing a high-level roundtable conference on marine seafood export promotion, organised by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.
The conference was chaired by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh and attended by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, Shri George Kurian, and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Professor S.P. Singh Baghel. Senior officials from the Department of Fisheries and other concerned ministries were also present.
The event witnessed participation from diplomats representing 40 countries, including 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, Guinea, Russia, Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. These diplomats represented regions across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Representatives from international organisations such as the 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.
The wide-ranging representation underscored India’s expanding international partnerships in the fisheries and marine seafood sector. Key areas identified for enhanced collaboration included climate change and ocean health, sustainability, responsible fisheries, technology transfer, green innovation, capacity building, supply chain development, and emerging sectors such as ornamental fisheries and seaweed cultivation.
In his address, the Union Minister highlighted India’s emergence as a major global fisheries and aquaculture player, driven by strong policies, enhanced processing capacity, and improved logistics. He noted that as a result, the value of India’s marine seafood exports has doubled over the past decade. He further stated that initiatives such as the National Framework on Traceability (2025), EEZ Rules (2025), and the updated High Seas Fisheries Guidelines (2025) are strengthening compliance and transparency, with a special focus on ensuring sustainable, export-oriented development in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh also emphasised the vast scope for international cooperation in advanced aquaculture and mariculture technologies, processing and cold-chain infrastructure, vessel design, digital monitoring systems, joint research and development, technology transfer, climate resilience, sustainable fisheries management, trade expansion, and private sector participation.
