India has joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS), the government announced on Monday.
The formal acceptance was handed over by Rajesh Agrawal, India’s commerce secretary to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the WTO in Geneva.
The decision reaffirms India's commitment to sustainable fisheries management while preserving marine resources as a source of food security, livelihoods and employment for coastal communities, according to a statement issued by the ministry of commerce and industry.
India has become the 123rd WTO member to formally accept the agreement.
The pact focuses on subsidies related to marine wild-capture fishing and fishing-related activities at sea. Aquaculture and inland fisheries remain outside its scope.
According to the ministry, joining the agreement enhances India's credibility as a responsible seafood exporter and supports better access to premium global markets that increasingly value sustainability and traceability.
Small fishers
The agreement seeks to protect the livelihoods of traditional and small-scale fishers by promoting sustainable fisheries.
It prohibits subsidies linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as fishing of overfished stocks, helping curb unsustainable fishing practices that threaten marine resources while safeguarding the long-term interests of traditional and small-scale fishing communities.
The framework is particularly beneficial for countries such as India, where fisheries are predominantly small-scale and the country is not a major participant in industrial fishing.
At the same time, the predominance of aquaculture-based shrimp in India's seafood exports—which falls outside the scope of the agreement—ensures the continued resilience and competitiveness of the country's seafood export sector.
Global framework
The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective.
It was adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022. The agreement prohibits government support for illegal fishing activities and the overexploitation of fish stocks, contributing to the protection of marine ecosystems.
The agreement entered into force on 15 September 2025 after being accepted by two-thirds of WTO members.
Domestic framework
India already has a robust fisheries management framework, strengthened through the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025, and the Guidelines for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas by Indian-Flagged Fishing Vessels, 2025.
"India's acceptance of the Agreement reflects its commitment to sustainable fisheries management and responsible marine resource governance. India's domestic fisheries management framework is in alignment with the Agreement and safeguards the interests of traditional and small-scale fishers while contributing to global efforts to promote sustainable fisheries. Above all, by becoming a party to this Agreement, India reinforces its unwavering commitment to the rules-based trading system with the WTO at its core," said the commerce ministry in a statement.
