Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday emphasized the need to modernize India’s fisheries sector by developing smart harbours and markets, and leveraging technologies like drones for the transportation and marketing of the catch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing a high-level review meeting on Thursday, emphasized the urgent need to modernize India’s fisheries sector. He advocated for the development of smart harbours and modern fish markets, along with the use of drones for transporting and marketing the catch, especially from production centres to urban markets. He suggested that these drone operations be aligned with civil aviation regulations to ensure safe and efficient transport of fresh fish.

The meeting focused on deep-sea fishing, seafood exports, and building a more efficient, value-driven supply chain. The Prime Minister highlighted the need to enhance processing, packaging, and improve the use of technology, drawing a parallel between agri-tech in farming and the potential of “fish-tech” in fisheries to boost production, processing, and marketing practices.

PM Modi also stressed the importance of attracting private sector investment to scale up the fisheries value chain. He noted that fish production in Amrit Sarovars (revived water bodies) could both sustain these ecosystems and enhance the livelihoods of local fishermen.

The Prime Minister also pointed to untapped areas such as ornamental fisheries and seaweed farming, recommending strategies to promote them for income generation, fuel production, nutritional supplements, and pharmaceutical use. He called for coordinated efforts among departments to harness the full potential of the seaweed sector.

To address regional imbalances, Modi suggested formulating strategies for landlocked areas where fish demand is high but supply is limited. He also proposed the creation of a “negative list” of regulatory and procedural hurdles holding back the sector, to develop targeted action plans and improve ease of doing business and ease of living for fishermen.

A presentation during the meeting reviewed progress on key initiatives and outlined a framework for sustainably leveraging India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and high seas for fisheries. It also included updates on compliance with previous recommendations.

Since 2015, the Centre has significantly scaled up investments in the fisheries sector, reaching Rs 38,572 crore through various schemes. As a result, India has recorded an annual fish production of 195 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, with the sector growing at a rate of over 9 per cent per year.