Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 83 countries to participate in New Delhi conference on January 21

In a major push to strengthen bilateral trade and expand international market access for Indian seafood, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D), will host a Round Table Conference with Ambassadors and High Commissioners on Seafood Export Promotion on January 21, 2026, in New Delhi.

The conference will be chaired by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in the presence of George Kurian, Minister of State, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs, and Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

India today stands as the world’s second-largest aquaculture producer and among the leading global producers of fish and aquatic foods. The sector has evolved from a subsistence-driven activity into a commercially robust, export-oriented ecosystem, encompassing aquaculture farming, feed, processing, cold chains, logistics, and value addition—while continuing to support millions of small, marginal, and artisanal fishers and farmers.

Backed by focused policy interventions and targeted schemes, India has emerged as the sixth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products globally. In FY 2024–25, seafood exports touched 16.98 lakh metric tonnes, valued at Rs 62,408 crore ($7.45 billion), accounting for nearly 18 per cent of India’s total agricultural exports.

The Round Table Conference will see participation from Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing 83 partner countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Latin America & the Caribbean. Senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Fisheries, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Export Inspection Council (EIC), Department of Commerce, DGFT, and Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) will join representatives from international organizations including FAO, AFD, GIZ, BOBP, ADB, and IFAD.

The conference is designed as a strategic diplomatic and technical platform to facilitate structured dialogue on seafood trade, market access, regulatory cooperation, and emerging opportunities for deepening bilateral and multilateral partnerships.

Deliberations will focus on promoting sustainable, traceable, and value-added seafood trade, while identifying avenues for investment, joint ventures, technology transfer, and capacity building. Strengthening the resilience of seafood value chains to climate and market risks will also be a key theme.

Key discussion areas include:

Global seafood trade trends and market diversification

Standards, certification, and regulatory cooperation

Traceability, digital reporting, and compliance systems

Sustainability and responsible sourcing

Value addition, processing, and product innovation

Cold chain infrastructure, logistics, and port connectivity

Financing, partnerships, and private-sector engagement across the blue value chain

Digital and technological transformation in fisheries and aquaculture

The conference will also highlight evolving global market dynamics, including rising demand for certified and sustainably sourced seafood, growing consumption of aquaculture-based proteins in North America, Europe, and East Asia, and the expansion of premium segments such as ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, and nutraceutical-grade marine products.

These trends present significant opportunities for India to expand its global footprint by strengthening compliance with international standards, enhancing value-added processing, diversifying species, and leveraging its strong aquaculture base and exporter ecosystem.

The outcomes of the conference are expected to play a key role in strengthening food security, enhancing livelihoods across fisheries value chains, and advancing shared global objectives of sustainability, resilience, and inclusive growth.