The free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom is expected to help Indian marine product exporters grow their presence and regain market share there, even as they face uncertainty in the US due to tariff disputes.
The FTA is also expected to help arrest the declining trend in shipments to the UK witnessed in the recent years and revive the Indian marine product shipments.
Over the past several years, marine product exports to the UK have seen a steady decline, facing competition from other origins. From a high of around $180.57 million in FY2017-18, India’s marine exports to the UK declined to $118.32 million in FY20-21 and witnessed a rebound in the subsequent year to $154.70 million. However, over the past three years, the shipments in value terms have witnessed a steady decline and touched a low of $104.10 million in FY24-25. Marine product exports account for little over one per cent of the total Indian exports to the UK.
Timely opportunity
“The recently concluded FTA between India and UK has emerged as a timely and strategic opportunity for the sector amid the earlier concerns that India’s shrimp exports might face setbacks due to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by US that would restrict access to one of India’s largest seafood markets,” Divya Kumar Gulati, Chairman at CLFMA.
Gulati, also a manufacturer of shrimp feed products, said, “The India-UK FTA promises to open up new avenues for Indian shrimp exporters by significantly reducing or eliminating tariffs on seafood products entering the UK. This development is expected to bolster export volumes and offer a vital boost to India’s aquaculture industry, which is a key contributor to rural livelihoods and foreign exchange earnings”.
“One of the most tangible outcomes for British consumers could be a drop in the prices of frozen king prawns — the predominant shrimp variety produced and exported by India. With improved market access and more competitive pricing under the new trade terms, Indian exporters are poised to expand their footprint in the UK retail market. As a result, supermarkets across Britain may soon offer more affordable frozen king prawns, providing consumers with greater value while reinforcing India’s position as a leading global seafood supplier,” Gulati added.
Rajamanohar Somasundaram, CEO, Aquaconnect, said, “We believe the India-UK FTA is a strategic development for Indian seafood exporters. By eliminating tariff disparities — especially for high-value categories like frozen shrimp — it creates a level playing field in the UK market, where Indian products have long faced competition from lower-tariff countries. With the UK importing over 70,000 tonnes of shrimp annually, this agreement not only opens new growth avenues for Indian processors but also aligns with India’s broader efforts to diversify seafood export destinations and strengthen its presence in premium, sustainability-conscious markets,” Somasundaram added.
“At Aquaconnect Global, we see potential in this shift to better connect Indian processors with UK buyers who value transparency and traceability. As the trade landscape evolves, platforms like ours can support direct, transparent sourcing — powered by our BluTik platform, which delivers tamper-proof QC reports to reinforce buyer confidence in product integrity and responsible sourcing, in line with the evolving expectations of UK consumers,” Somasundaram added.
Published on May 8, 2025
