India–Israel Joint Ministerial Declaration on Fisheries and Aquaculture | 16 Jan 2026

Source:PIB 

At the 2nd Global Summit on “Blue Food Security: Sea the Future 2026”, India and Israel signed a Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent to deepen cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture. 

• Declaration on Fisheries and Aquaculture: It provides a comprehensive framework to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. 
  • The Declaration prioritises joint research and innovation in advanced aquaculture systems such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), biofloc, cage culture, aquaponics, mariculture, and seaweed cultivation, along with genetic improvement, broodstock development, and pathogen-free seed production to enhance productivity and resilience. 
  • It stresses sustainable fishing, capacity building, and trade facilitation, and the creation of Indo–Israel Centres of Excellence, strengthening the Blue Economy and food security of both nations. 
• Fisheries and Aquaculture: India is the second-largest fish producer in the world after China, contributing about 8% of global fish production. 
  • Fish production rose sharply to 184.02 lakh tonnes in 2023–24, nearly doubling from 95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013–14, driven mainly by inland fisheries and aquaculture.  
  • The Blue Revolution (launched in 2015–16) laid the foundation for sectoral growth, while the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in 2020, aims to reform the value chain, enhance production, and improve the socio-economic welfare of fishers and fish farmers.