Despite being hit by the high US tariffs, India’ marine products exports increased by over 15% to $ 6.56 billion in April – December, 2025-26 on year because of a huge surge in shipment across several new markets such as Vietnam and Belgium, according to a commerce ministry official.
In December, 2025, India exported marine products valued at $ 0.8 billion, an increase of 12% compared to a year ago, according to an official data released on Thursday.
Shift to Non-US Markets
While the US remains the largest market, exports of seafood to Vietnam and Belgium increased by 99.9% and 90.3% respectively in the current fiscal, an official said.
The official stated that there has been incremental growth in marine products exports to countries including Russia (45%), Canada (20%), Thailand (16.8%), Germany (52%), UK (23%) and Japan (9%) in the first nine months of FY26 on year.
While shipments to the US has declined by over 7% in the current fiscal, this loss in shipments was ‘more than compensated’ by a rise in shipment to China, Vietnam, Belgium, Japan, Russia, Canada and the United Kingdom, sources said.
“Non-US markets emerge as the new growth engine,” according to an official note.
Earlier trade officials had feared that the seafood exports would hit as effective duties imposed by the US have been increased to 59.71% which includes countervailing (5.76%) and anti-dumping duties (3.96%) along with a 50% tariff announced for India by President Donald Trump.
India’s seafood exports, mostly frozen shrimp, were $ 7.45 billion in FY25, with the United States having a share of 35% ($ 2.8 billion).
The bulk of the country’s seafood exports to the US is ‘Vannamei Shrimp’. Ecuador had a 19% in the USA’s annual seafood import of $ 6 billion.
The tariff by the US had put Indian seafood at a major disadvantage compared to competitors like Ecuador (15%), Vietnam (20%), and Thailand (19%) tariff.
Despite global price pressures, recessionary trends in the US, and volatile logistics conditions, India’s marine sector demonstrated strong resilience”, an official said.
To boost India’s seafood exports prospects, the European Union (EU) recently has approved 102 additional fishery units for shipments, the Marine Products Export Development Authority.
The EU is the third-largest seafood export destination for India after China, accounting for 15.10% of India’s total exports.
Commodity Under Pressure
Rice exports declines 5% to $ 8.7 billion Apr-Dec 2025-26 on US tariff & Iran turmoil
India’s rice exports during April-December, 2025-26 declined by close to 5% at $ 8.7 billion, due to higher global stocks, the US imposed higher tariff, turmoil on oil and the economic crisis in Iran,has hit India’s rice exports in the current fiscal.
According to DGCIS, the rice exports dropped 30% in December, 2025 to $ 1 billion from $ 1.42 billion during December last year. During April-December 2024-25, the country exported rice valued at $ 8.3 billion.
Overall shipment of rice was 19.86 million tonne (MT) during FY25, which was valued at a record $ 12.47 billion.
India has been the biggest rice – basmati and non-basmati – exporter in the world in the last decade and it has a market share of around 35% to 40% in rice trade