The European Union has approved 102 additional Indian fishery units to export marine products to its member states, according to a statement from the Marine Products Export Development Authority of India (MPEDA) on Thursday.
MPEDA views the move as a major milestone that could strengthen India’s seafood presence in European markets while also mitigating the effects of U.S.-imposed tariffs.
“With this, the number of EU-approved Indian seafood export units has increased to 604, marking an enormous step forward in enhancing India’s presence in the highly lucrative European seafood market,” MPEDA said.
MPEDA credits the achievement to the sustained efforts of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and his team, whose engagement with EU officials helped to build trust in India’s seafood safety systems. The collaboration, supported by the Export Inspection Council, has also played a key role in enhancing food safety standards across the entire seafood supply chain.
The restricted number of EU-approved fishery establishments had long been a barrier to Indian seafood exports to the European Union. With the approval of more units, Indian exporters are now able to expand their footprint in the highly competitive European seafood market. Key destinations for Indian marine products within the EU include Belgium, Spain, and Italy.
MPEDA has undertaken several initiatives to boost marine food exports, including awareness campaigns on the significance of Good Management Practices (GMPs) in aquaculture, the rollout of traceability systems like farm registration, residue checks through Pre-Harvest Testing (PHT), and strict compliance with HACCP standards throughout the production and processing stages.
According to MPEDA, India exported 16,98,170 metric tons of seafood in 2024–25, valued at ₹62,408.45 crore ($7.45 billion).
The EU ranks as India’s third-largest destination for seafood exports, representing 15.10% of the country’s overall marine product shipments, according to MPEDA. Key exports to the region include frozen shrimp, cuttlefish, and squid. MPEDA also noted that India holds strong potential to expand its exports of frozen shrimp, cephalopods, and other value-added seafood items such as prepared shrimp products and tuna. The recent inclusion of more approved establishments is expected to further accelerate and support these trade opportunities.
Furthermore, the India–EFTA Trade Agreement, set to take effect on October 1, is expected to significantly boost market access to EFTA countries like Norway and Switzerland.
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