"For fisherfolk, processors, and exporters alike, this is a unique opportunity to step onto a larger global stage," the Indian Ministry of Fisheries said in a statement on the trade deal.
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The announced free trade agreement between India and the United Kingdom, which will come into force next year, was finally signed on July 24, marking an important milestone in economic relations between the two countries and, according to the Indian Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, opening up the possibility of an increase up to 70% in India's seafood exports to the UK.
Formalized in the presence of the Prime Ministers of both countries, Narendra Modi of India and Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, and signed by India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, and the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) offers zero-duty access on 99% of tariff lines and opens up key services sectors, such as the seafood industry.
Specifically, for the marine sector, the agreement eliminates import tariffs on a wide range of seafood products and is expected to particularly benefit exports of shrimp, frozen fish, and value-added marine products, which will see their competitiveness improved.
Major Indian seafood exports to the UK include Vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), frozen squid, lobsters, frozen pomfret, and black tiger shrimp, all of which are expected to gain more market share under CETA tariff-free access.
Until now, species such as shrimp, tuna, mackerel, sardines, squid, crab, cuttlefish, frozen pomfret, or lobsters, but also caviar, prepared or preserved seafood, fish oil, fishmeal, or even fishing gear related products - rods, hooks, reels, nets, etc. -, were subject to tariffs up to 21.5%. Following the entry into force of CETA, all of these have now been eliminated, substantially improving cost competitiveness in the UK market.
In 2024-25, India's seafood exports to the UK reached USD 104 million, with frozen shrimp being the main contributor at USD 80 million, 77% of the total value of those exports. However, despite the UK being a major destination for Indian seafood, India's share of the UK seafood import market - valued at USD 5.4 billion - is only 2.25%.
As mentioned above, with the entry into force of CETA, the Indian government estimates that this figure will increase by 70% in the coming years. Thanks to this trade deal, Indian exporters will not only be able to gain a larger share of the British market but also diversify beyond traditional partners such as China or the U.S., where the local shrimp industry raised suspicions about forced labor practices in the Indian shrimp exporter industry.
The Indian Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying also highlighted that CETA will make Indian seafood compete on par with countries such as Vietnam and Singapore, which already benefit from free trade agreements with the UK.
"This levels the playing field and removes tariff disadvantages that Indian exporters previously faced especially for high-value products like shrimp and value-added goods," reads the release.
According to data provided by the Indian Ministry of Fisheries, between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the volume of India's seafood exports grew by 60%, while value grew by 88%, and the number of export destinations expanded from 100 to 130 countries. Moreover, exports of value-added products tripled, indicating a transition to high-end global markets.
In its statement, India's Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying also highlights that the fisheries sector supports the livelihoods of approximately 28 million Indians and contributes about 8% of the world's fish production.
Therefore, this Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement marks a turning point for India's seafood sector by not only providing tariff-free access to a premium market but also by improving coastal livelihoods, increasing the sector's income, and boosting India's reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality and sustainable seafood.
"For fisherfolk, processors, and exporters alike, this is a unique opportunity to step onto a larger global stage. This agreement contributes meaningfully to India's broader goal of becoming a global leader in sustainable marine trade," says the release.
Likewise, India also highlighted that there are some coastal states such as Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, which are already key players in seafood exports, and are, therefore, well-positioned to capitalize on CETA. With targeted efforts to meet the UK's sanitary and phytosanitary standards, these states will now be able to further expand their export footprint and improve compliance with international standards as they transition to high-end global markets.
Nevertheless, following the signing of CETA, the search for these premium markets is a two-way street. As WeAreAquaculture reported, following the trade deal, Scottish salmon producers are also preparing for what Salmon Scotland defined as the "lucrative Indian market."
India is the third-largest fish market in the world, with domestic consumption reaching almost 12 million tons in 2021, an increase of 120% since 2005. And even though most of the fish consumed is locally sourced, in large cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, where demand for healthy, high-quality products is on the rise, imports are focused on premium seafood.
It is precisely in this high-end market segment that Scottish salmon fits perfectly, but at present, the star product of UK seafood exports faces a 33% tariff that severely limits trade. However, following the agreement reached by the UK and India, that tariff is expected to be eliminated, paving the way for exports worth tens of millions of pounds each year, generating foreign investment and well-paying jobs in Scotland.
"India represents a huge untapped market for our nutritious fish as demand continues to grow across Asia," Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott said during the Indian High Commissioner's visit to Scotland last month to learn more about the scale and quality of Scottish farmed salmon. "We're working closely with the UK Government and Indian partners to make sure Scottish salmon reaches more tables in India, supporting jobs and coastal communities here at home."
Open up new markets, especially those in the premium segment, and support the jobs and economies of coastal communities. The objectives of India and the UK, in this case of Scottish salmon, are therefore not so different.
As Tavish Scott himself said back in May, following the British government's announcement of the trade deal with India, which has now finally been signed, "Other international markets are becoming increasingly important. The UK-India trade deal will remove 33 per cent tariffs on salmon exports, which is a welcome step."
