BS EDIT: Deep-Sea Opportunity: India Must Get the Basics in Place

By Business StandardPublished On Oct 22, 2025

A Vast Untapped Frontier

India’s 2 million sq km of marine zones hide rich resources. Yet deep-sea fishing contributes little to its $8 billion seafood exports

The Numbers Tell the Story

India has just four deep-sea vessels. Sri Lanka has 1,883 and Iran 1,216. Outdated laws and missing infrastructure limit India’s reach

The Legal Void

Current fishing laws stop at 12 nautical miles. Without a deep-sea “Vessels Act,” Indian fishers lack rights, safety, and global parity

NITI Aayog’s 3-Phase Plan

The roadmap calls for new rules, modern fleets, and landing hubs by 2033—an ₹8,300 crore plan to unlock deep-sea potential sustainably

Trade Shocks and Risks

US tariffs on shrimp exports hit coastal states hard. India must diversify markets and ratify global fishery subsidy reforms carefully

A Smarter Way to Fish

Sustainable governance, cooperative fleets, and digital vessel tracking can prevent overfishing and power India’s blue economy