Despite heavy tariffs imposed by the US, India’s seafood exports have seen a significant surge. According to govt. data released on Monday, India’s marine exports increased by more than 16 per cent to $5.75 billion between April and November of the current financial year 2025-26. The decline in demand from the US has been offset by strong exports to new markets, providing a major boost to overall exports. In November alone, $0.87 billion worth of marine products were exported. Notably, this figure is 15 per cent higher than in November of the previous year.
US demand declines, China and Vietnam provide support in seafood exports
The data indicates that the US, India’s largest export market, is now lagging. Due to heavy tariffs, seafood exports to the US declined by more than 7 per cent from April to October, reaching $1.06 billion. However, this loss was compensated by increased seafood exports to countries such as China, Vietnam, Belgium, Japan, Russia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. An official note stated that non-US markets have emerged as new engines of growth.
Exporters are concerned about the future
Despite these positive figures, exporters appear concerned about the upcoming days. Seafood exporters say that old orders from the US are still being fulfilled due to increased demand during the Christmas season. However, the worrying aspect is that there are no orders from the US after January 15, 2026. This trend could have a significant impact on the country’s overall seafood exports in the future. In the financial year 2025, India’s total seafood exports were $7.45 billion, with the US alone accounting for 35% ($2.8 billion). A large portion of India’s exports consists of ‘Vannamei shrimp’.
Amidst challenges from the United States, India has received significant good news from the European Union. The EU has approved 102 additional Indian fisheries units for export. This move will further strengthen India’s seafood exports. After China, the European Union is the third largest export destination for Indian seafood, accounting for 15.10 per cent of total exports. Exports to the EU in fiscal year 2025 totalled $1.12 billion, primarily consisting of frozen shrimp, cuttlefish, and squid. According to officials, the Indian seafood sector has demonstrated strong resilience despite global price pressures and the US economic slowdown.