India’s fisheries sector is slowly but surely becoming one of the pillars of the economy, supporting food security, exports and nearly 30 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level.
Backed by a cumulative ₹39,272 crore investment since 2015, the country is now the world’s second‑largest aquaculture producer, accounting for about 8 per cent of global fish production. Output has surged from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019–20 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, an average annual growth of roughly 7 per cent.
Seafood exports have ridden this wave. Over the last 11 years, India’s marine product exports have grown at an average of 7 per cent a year, more than doubling from ₹30,213 crore in 2013–14 to ₹62,408 crore in 2024–25. Shrimp dominates this basket, contributing ₹43,334 crore in 2024–25, with over 350 product varieties shipped to nearly 130 countries. The United States alone accounts for 36.42 per cent of export value, followed by China, the European Union, Southeast Asia, Japan and the Middle East, according to the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
Future fisheries
Over the next five years, the Centre plans to “sharpen India’s global seafood strategy” by focusing on higher‑value exports, wider market reach and stronger quality assurance. The share of value‑added products in the export basket has already risen from 2.5 per cent to 11 per cent, worth $742 million, and is targeted to climb further via more processing facilities, a skilled workforce and better certification systems.
The plan is to scale exports to the UK, EU, ASEAN and the Middle East, while building inland export hubs and freshwater supply chains so that landlocked states can plug into global demand.
The ministry is also doubling down on digital traceability, tighter compliance frameworks and alignment with international sustainability rules, including the US Marine Mammal Protection Act and Turtle Excluder Devices on shrimp trawlers.
All these efforts build on top of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which is funding everything from quality fish seed and brackish‑water aquaculture to modern harbours, cold chains and post‑harvest infrastructure.