This surge in production is positioning India as the second-largest aquaculture producer globally, contributing nearly 8% of global fish production, while supporting the livelihoods of nearly 30 million fishers and fish farmers across the value chain.

India's rising production base has directly supported strong export performance. Marine product exports have more than doubled over the past decade, increasing from ₹30,213 crore in 2013-14 to ₹62,408 crore in 2024-25, with shrimp exports alone contributing ₹43,334 crore. This growth reflects a consistent annual expansion of around 7% over the last eleven years, with Indian seafood now reaching nearly 130 global markets across a diversified basket of over 350 products. The United States continues to be the largest destination, accounting for more than 36% of total export value, followed by China, the European Union, Southeast Asia, Japan, and the Middle East.

While frozen shrimp remains the flagship export, India is steadily diversifying its seafood portfolio. Increasing volumes of frozen fish, squid, cuttlefish, surimi-based products, and live seafood are being shipped to international markets. At the same time, the sector is witnessing a gradual but important shift toward higher value realisation, with the share of value-added seafood products rising from 2.5% to 11%, amounting to USD 742 million.

The government's flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, has played a pivotal role in strengthening both production systems and export competitiveness. Through targeted interventions across the value chain, the programme has supported expansion and diversification of aquaculture, improved fish seed quality, encouraged adoption of technology, and strengthened disease management and traceability systems. Parallel investments in cold-chain infrastructure, modern fishing harbours, and fish landing centres are further enhancing efficiency and reducing post-harvest losses, enabling India to compete more effectively in global markets.

India has also made notable progress in aligning its fisheries sector with international sustainability and compliance standards. A key development was securing a comparability finding from the United States under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 2025, ensuring uninterrupted access to its largest export market. Simultaneously, measures such as the installation of Turtle Excluder Devices on shrimp trawlers, the rollout of digital traceability systems, and the strengthening of certification frameworks are reinforcing India's position as a responsible and compliant seafood exporter.

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