In a major push to harness India's vast but unexploited marine resources, NITI Aayog on October 13, 2025, released a comprehensive strategy report aimed at developing the country's deep-sea and offshore fisheries sector. The report, launched by Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture), NITI Aayog, and B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, charts an ambitious roadmap that could transform India into a global leader in sustainable deep-sea fishing while boosting livelihoods for millions of coastal communities.
India, already the world's second-largest fish producer contributing 8% to global output, has been sitting on a largely untapped goldmine. The country's Exclusive Economic Zone, spanning over 2 million square kilometers with an 11,098-km coastline, holds an estimated potential yield of 7.16 million tonnes of marine resources. Yet, the deep-sea fishery resources beyond the continental shelf remain largely unexploited, presenting a massive opportunity for economic growth.
Fisheries sector currently supports nearly 30 million livelihoods and has emerged as a significant foreign exchange earner, with exports touching Rs 60,523 crore in the financial year 2023-24. The new strategy aims to multiply these gains while ensuring ecological sustainability and reducing pressure on already strained coastal fisheries.
Dr. Neelam Patel, Programme Director at NITI Aayog's Agriculture Technology Division, presented the detailed framework that adopts a science-based, technology-enabled approach with social inclusion at its core. The report outlines six key policy interventions ranging from regulatory overhaul to institutional capacity building, fleet modernization, sustainable management practices, resource mobilization, and enhanced community participation.
What sets this initiative apart is its emphasis on inclusive development. Recognizing that deep-sea fishing is capital-intensive, the report proposes supporting fisher cooperatives and cluster-based approaches, enabling collective ownership and giving local communities access to modern technology and shared operational benefits.
The implementation is planned in three distinct phases. Phase 1, running from 2025 to 2028, will lay the foundation and foster early growth. Phase 2, spanning 2029 to 2032, focuses on scaling up and achieving global competitiveness. The final phase, beginning in 2033, targets establishing India as a global leader in sustainable deep-sea fisheries. Each phase comes with an indicative costing framework leveraging various central schemes.
The launch event saw participation from 18 institutions and included presentations from coastal states like Goa, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu. A panel discussion on regulatory reforms, research, financing, and capacity building brought together experts to chart the way forward.
