Vietnam and India aim for a “Win-Win” partnership in the seafood industry

Representing Vietnam, Ms. To Thi Tuong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), noted that Vietnam’s seafood industry has maintained a positive recovery momentum in 2026, with export turnover exceeding USD 3.6 billion in the first four months of the year. Vietnam currently enjoys significant advantages in deep processing capabilities, value-added seafood products, an extensive network of free trade agreements (FTAs), and the flexibility to serve diverse market segments.

These strengths provide a solid foundation for Vietnam to continue its role as a reputable seafood processing and export hub within the global supply chain.

According to Ms. Tuong Lan, India has strong advantages in shrimp farming and seafood raw material production, while Vietnam excels in deep processing and value-added product development. The two countries can expand cooperation in raw material supply, export-oriented processing, traceability systems, antibiotic control, sustainability certifications, and digital transformation within the seafood sector.

The VASEP representative also proposed strengthening business connectivity through major industry exhibitions such as Vietfish in Vietnam and Seafood Expo Bharat in India to promote investment cooperation, trade activities, and technology transfer between enterprises from both countries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anil Kumar, representative of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) of India, reported that India’s seafood exports during fiscal year 2025–2026 increased by 13.4%, reaching USD 8.45 billion. Exports to Vietnam surged by 69%, rising from USD 387 million to USD 656 million.

According to Mr. Kumar, rather than focusing solely on bilateral trade, businesses from both countries should pursue joint investment and processing models aimed at exporting to international markets.

He emphasized that India currently has approximately 650 seafood processing plants, with around 70% of their capacity remaining idle during the low season, creating favorable conditions for joint ventures with Vietnamese companies to reduce logistics costs and enhance product value.

Mr. K.N. Raghavan, Chief Executive Officer of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), stated that Vietnam and India should not view each other as competitors but instead pursue a “win-win” cooperation model, particularly in deep processing, traceability, combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and developing electronic certification systems to support exports to the United States and the European Union (EU).

He noted that Vietnam is currently India’s fourth-largest seafood export market, with nearly 70% growth recorded over the past year.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Trade Office in India also actively invited Indian partners to participate in the Vietnam International Sourcing 2026 Exhibition, scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City from September 3–5, 2026. The event is expected to feature more than 500 exhibition booths, 450 international buying delegations, and over 3,000 direct business-matching sessions.

In addition, the Indian side introduced Seafood Expo Bharat 2026, which will be held in Chennai from July 1–3, 2026, featuring more than 300 booths, numerous B2B networking activities, technical seminars, and field visits to India’s seafood industry.