During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 State visit to the Maldives, India and the island nation signed a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Fisheries and Aquaculture, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation and regional maritime sustainability. The agreement focuses on promoting sustainable practices in tuna and deep-sea fisheries, aquaculture development, and marine-based economic growth.
The MoU aims to harness the potential of the blue economy while ensuring environmental balance and livelihood security for coastal communities. Tuna, a vital economic resource for the Maldives, is central to this cooperation. The agreement promotes responsible harvesting, resource monitoring, and advanced techniques to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna and other deep-sea fish stocks.
A key pillar of the agreement is the advancement of aquaculture through hatchery development, improved breeding practices, and ecosystem-friendly farming methods. India has pledged to support the Maldives in establishing modern cold storage facilities and fish processing units, which are crucial for reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing value chain development. These steps are expected to improve the quality of fish exports, increase incomes, and attract private investment into the fisheries sector.
Research and development also feature prominently in the MoU, with a special focus on aquatic animal health, marine biosecurity, and sustainable marine engineering. Training and capacity-building programs will be conducted to upskill Maldivian professionals in these domains, with support from Indian institutions. The exchange of technical expertise and collaborative research will not only improve productivity but also bolster resilience to climate change and marine diseases.
Eco-tourism based on marine biodiversity and sustainable fishing villages will also be promoted as part of a holistic approach to blue economy development. The MoU includes provisions for trade facilitation, streamlining export-import processes for seafood products between the two nations, and encouraging private sector partnerships.
This agreement further strengthens the growing strategic and economic ties between India and the Maldives, reaffirming India’s commitment to the development of its neighborhood under the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision. By fostering cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture, the two countries aim to enhance regional food security, improve livelihoods, and ensure the conservation of marine ecosystems across the Indian Ocean region
