India, Maldives to boost bilateral cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture

India and the Maldives are set to strengthen ties in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India’s Department of Fisheries under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and the Maldives’ Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.

The MoU was among the six agreements exchanged during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent two-day state visit to the island nation.

The partnership aims to promote sustainable tuna and deep-sea fisheries, strengthen aquaculture practices and resource management, foster fisheries-based eco-tourism and support scientific research and innovation across both countries.

Key areas of collaboration outlined in the MoU include value chain development, mariculture advancement, trade facilitation and capacity building within the fisheries sector.

As part of the initiative, the Maldives will invest in cold storage infrastructure, scale up fish processing capabilities and strengthen its aquaculture sector through hatchery development, improved production efficiency and diversification of cultured species.

The agreement also facilitates training and knowledge exchange programmes focusing on capacity-building in aquatic animal health, biosecurity screening, aquaculture farm management and technical fields such as refrigeration, mechanical engineering and marine engineering.

Officials said the cooperation reflects the shared vision of India and the Maldives to build a resilient, innovative and sustainable future for the fisheries industry.