Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that India held active negotiations with the European Union (EU) to open its market for seafood exports, helping the country overcome challenges arising from elevated US tariffs. According to him, the government expected disruptions and rapidly worked to open substitute markets for Indian exporters. He noted ‘Our government works 24 hours. Often, even before a problem arises, we begin planning and action.’
Further, he said that the United States’ decision to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian seafood had hurt exports and caused distress among fishermen. He pointed out ‘When America imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian seafood, our exports suffered a big setback. Fishermen were very worried. The Centre responded by engaging with the European Union and addressing regulatory bottlenecks that had earlier restricted Indian shipments.’
Besides, he said several Indian fishing establishments were previously removed from the EU list, but India used quality control orders and standards to push for their restoration. He mentioned ‘We took a firm approach and used quality control mechanisms. Today, more than 125 Indian fishery establishments have been registered.’ He added that this helped India regain access to a large and stable market.
