MoC&I: EU Emerges as India’s Third Largest Seafood Export Market in FY26

Current Context: The Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I) released India's Seafood Export Performance FY26 report on May 14, 2026.

• The report confirmed that the European Union (EU) has become India’s third-largest seafood export market, after the U.S. and China.
• India’s seafood exports touched ₹72,325 crore (USD 8.43 billion) with a volume of 19.32 lakh tonnes.
• Shrimp remained the top export, contributing nearly ₹47,973 crore.
• The EU accounted for 19% of exports, driven by demand for shrimp, cuttlefish, and frozen fish.
• Growth in China (+22.7%) and EU (+37.9%) offset a decline in U.S. shipments.
• Major hubs like Visakhapatnam, Kochi, JNPT, Chennai, and Kolkata handled most shipments.

Question:

Q.1 According to the FY26 seafood export report, which region became India’s third-largest seafood export market?
a) ASEAN
b) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
c) European Union (EU)
d) Africa

Answer: c) The European Union emerged as India’s third-largest seafood export market after the United States and China, showing strong growth in demand for Indian seafood products.