India Sets $30 Billion Seafood Export Target by 2031

India has set a target of 30 billion in seafood exports by 2031, against the present export value of about 8.5 billion. The target was announced in June 2026 during a national workshop on seafood exports in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Seafood Exports in India

India’s marine product exports reached ₹73,890.46 crore, or USD 8.45 billion, in fiscal year 2025-26. The export volume stood at 19.72 lakh metric tonnes in the same period. Seafood exports include shrimp, fish, molluscs, and other marine products. Shrimp remains a major export item in India’s marine trade basket.

Policy and Trade Measures

The export plan uses nine recently finalised Free Trade Agreements with developed countries to expand market access for Indian seafood exporters. The strategy also includes production quality, value-added products, and brand building. The Export Promotion Mission for 2025-2031 places certification and compliance at the centre of the long-term seafood export strategy. The mission includes standards such as ASC and BAP, along with modern testing laboratories and digital traceability systems.

Fisheries Infrastructure and Traceability

The National Traceability Framework was launched on World Fisheries Day 2025. It provides digital tracking across the seafood supply chain for compliance and premium market access. Cold-chain infrastructure is being upgraded at ports such as Kochi and Visakhapatnam. The plan also includes expansion of deep-sea fishing within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone for species such as tuna and other high-value catches.

Andhra Pradesh and Aquaculture

Andhra Pradesh accounts for 66% of India’s shrimp exports and 55.39 lakh tonnes of aquaculture production in 2025-26. A Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour has been approved for Kakinada under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

Important Facts for Exams

• India’s Exclusive Economic Zone extends up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana was launched in 2020 for fisheries development and aquaculture modernisation.
• ASC stands for Aquaculture Stewardship Council, and BAP stands for Best Aquaculture Practices.
• Visakhapatnam and Kochi are major Indian ports linked with seafood export logistics and cold-chain facilities.