Next-generation aquaculture in India

The fisheries and aquaculture sector has emerged as a vital pillar of India’s economic growth, supporting the livelihoods of nearly three crore fishers and fish farmers and generating employment across a vast value chain encompassing production, processing, marketing and exports. 

India is now the world’s second-largest fish producer, accounting for around 8% of global fish production; the second-largest aquaculture producer; the largest producer and exporter of shrimp; and the second-largest producer in capture fisheries. These achievements underscore the sector’s growing strategic importance for food and nutritional security, rural prosperity, export earnings and India’s aspirations for a thriving blue economy, a PIB release stated.

This transformation has been supported by sustained policy interventions and unprecedented public investment. Since 2015, the government of India has approved or announced cumulative investments exceeding ₹39,272 crore through a range of flagship schemes and initiatives aimed at the holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture. 

These investments have strengthened production systems, modernised infrastructure, promoted technology adoption, improved market access and enhanced global competitiveness, laying the foundation for a resilient, sustainable and globally competitive fisheries sector.

The impact of these interventions is evident in the sector’s remarkable growth over the past decade. Annual fish production has more than doubled, rising from 95.79 lakh tons in 2013-14 to a record 198 lakh tons in 2024-25. Much of this growth has been driven by the rapid expansion of inland fisheries and aquaculture, with production increasing by 147% during the same period, from 61.36 lakh tons to 151.60 lakh tons. 

Seafood exports have followed a similar upward trajectory, more than doubling from ₹30,213 crore in 2013-14 to a record ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26. This sustained export growth, despite an increasingly complex global trading environment and emerging tariff-related challenges, highlights the resilience, competitiveness and growing global acceptance of Indian seafood.

Technology infusion has been a cornerstone of this transformation, particularly in aquaculture. The adoption of advanced production systems such as Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Biofloc technology under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is enabling a shift towards more intensive, resource-efficient and commercially viable forms of fish farming. 

Alongside cage culture and other modern farming practices, these technologies are helping create a more productive, resilient and future-ready aquaculture ecosystem capable of meeting growing domestic and global demand for fish and fishery products.

RAS and Biofloc represent a new generation of aquaculture systems that enable fish to be reared in controlled environments. RAS uses water-treatment and recirculation systems to maintain optimal growing conditions, while Biofloc technology uses beneficial microorganisms to improve water quality and support fish growth. Together, these technologies expand the potential for aquaculture by enabling fish farming across diverse agro-climatic conditions and in locations where conventional aquaculture may not be feasible. RAS can recycle up to 90-95% of water, significantly improving resource efficiency and enabling farming units to be established closer to urban consumption centers and export hubs. This contributes to a more circular, efficient and sustainable aquaculture economy.

Under PMMSY, 9,467 RAS and 4,573 Biofloc units have been approved, facilitating year-round fish farming and signaling a shift towards intensive and commercially viable production models. These systems are helping expand aquaculture beyond traditional farming geographies while creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and fish farmers. 

This technology infusion has been supported by investments of ₹4,120 crore under PMMSY, reflecting the Government’s emphasis on modernizing fisheries production systems and accelerating the adoption of advanced aquaculture technologies.

Beyond increasing domestic production, RAS and Biofloc technologies can strengthen India’s position in high-value seafood exports. By enabling production in controlled environments, these systems can support greater consistency in quality, traceability and biosecurity—attributes that are increasingly important in global seafood markets.