Southeast Asia, led by the Asean bloc, has in the past decade emerged as a major market for Indian seafood exports.
"In fact, China's influence on the Indian seafood industry has been on the wane as exports to Southeast Asian countries are surging, thanks to various Indo-Asean trade agreements signed in recent years. We expect Asean to emerge as a powerful influence in exports to Southeast Asia during fiscal 2013, and China's share of Indian exports to fall by at least 2%," said a senior Mpeda official.
Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the bloc in 2009, it was decided to eliminate duty on 80% of the goods imported into these countries by 2013. The agreement came into effect in January 2010, and the original 30% tariff on Indian imports into Asean is proposed to be brought down to zero by 2014.
"Presently, the tariff on imports is around 10%; as this is lowered further, Southeast Asia, in particular the Asean bloc, will become our biggest market. This is clearly an advantage for Indian seafood exporters," the Mpeda official said.
In the April-December period of 2011, Southeast Asia emerged as the largest market for Indian seafood exports with a share of 25.8% in US dollar realization and 39.6% in quantity. Exports to Southeast Asia posted 43.2% growth in quantity, 103.7% in rupee value and 96% in US dollar realization. Meanwhile, China accounted for just 7.1% of Indian exports during the period, with a sharp decline in quality and value terms.
The surge in exports to the Southeast Asian region has been attributed to shortage of raw material in the Asean bloc. "The successive import duty reductions under the new FTA regime will have a marginal, though significant, impact in increasing exports to Asean going forward. But I doubt if shrimp, our biggest export item to the Southeast Asian region, will benefit from the import duty reduction. But cuttle fish and squid exports stand to gain," said Abad Fisheries MD Anwar Hashim.
Further, sources said that direct exports to China are now below 10%, and a majority of India's exports to China are routed through Asean nations like Thailand and the Phillippines for reprocessing. "Any embargo by China on Indian exports for whatever reason, would not be a death blow to Indian seafood exports, though it can have some negative impact," exporters said.
As per Mpeda, China had a 21% share of India's total marine products export worldwide with Indian seafood exports to China in fiscal 2011 touching Rs 1,978 crore. Fiscal 2012 numbers are awaited next month.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
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