China's surging demand propelled India's frozen shrimp exports to an all-time high in fiscal year 2025-26, even as the United States retained its position as the largest export destination, according to data from the Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The department shared an infographic on social media revealing that frozen shrimp exports hit a record high during FY 2025-26. The United States remained the top market with shipments valued at USD 1.61 billion, while China emerged as a major growth engine, with exports reaching USD 941.6 million.
Strong Demand Reflects Competitiveness of Indian Seafood
“The sustained demand for Indian seafood products highlights the strength and competitiveness of India's marine exports,” the Department of Commerce stated in a social media post. The department attributed the strong performance to sustained demand for Indian seafood products and the growing reach of marine exports across international markets.
India's overall seafood exports also reached a record high in FY 2025-26, with 19,72,018 metric tonnes valued at Rs 73,890.46 crore (approximately USD 8.46 billion), despite challenging global market conditions, according to Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) Chairman K S Srinivas.
Government Efforts to Diversify Export Destinations
The latest export figures come amid government initiatives to diversify seafood export destinations and enhance the sector's global competitiveness. Earlier this month, the Centre organized a two-day 'Chintan Shivir' in Visakhapatnam, bringing together seafood industry stakeholders, exporters, and state governments to develop a roadmap for expanding India's seafood exports.
Addressing the event, MPEDA Chairman K S Srinivas noted that India's seafood sector had remained resilient despite global trade challenges and was successfully expanding into new markets. He emphasized that the sector is witnessing strong demand for value-added seafood products and that market diversification will remain a key strategy for sustaining export growth in the coming years.
Strategic Focus on Quality, Infrastructure, and Value-Added Products
The Commerce Ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and MPEDA, has been working to strengthen quality standards, improve export infrastructure, expand market access, and increase the share of value-added seafood products in India's overall marine exports as part of its long-term export strategy.
These efforts aim to build on the record performance of frozen shrimp exports, which have become a cornerstone of India's marine export portfolio. With China emerging as a key growth driver and the US maintaining its top position, India's frozen shrimp exports are poised for continued expansion.
