Law Notify, January 15, 2026 : India and Israel have taken a significant step toward expanding their strategic partnership in fisheries and aquaculture with the signing of a Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent on January 14, 2026. The agreement was formalised during a high-level Indian visit to Israel led by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on the sidelines of the Second Global Summit on “Blue Food Security: Sea the Future 2026” held in Eilat.
The Indian delegation participated in the summit from January 13 to 15, marking a renewed push to strengthen bilateral ties between India and Israel in areas critical to food security, livelihoods, and sustainable economic growth. Both sides acknowledged their long-standing partnership and shared commitment to sustainable development, while recognising Israel’s strengths in advanced aquaculture and water management technologies and India’s vast aquatic resources.
The Joint Declaration lays out a broad framework for cooperation across research, innovation, capacity building, and trade. Key areas include joint research and development in advanced aquaculture technologies such as recirculating aquaculture systems, biofloc, cage culture, aquaponics, and aquarium and oceanarium systems. The agreement also covers collaboration in breeding high-yield species, development of pathogen-free seed and broodstock, genetic improvement programmes, mariculture including seaweed cultivation, and efficient water use through Israeli water-saving technologies.
Another major focus is the promotion of start-ups and innovation in fisheries and aquaculture, aligned with the broader goal of advancing the Blue Economy. The Declaration also underlines the importance of sustainable and responsible fishing practices to conserve marine resources, reduce environmental impact, and ensure the long-term resilience of fisheries. This includes cooperation on technology-based monitoring, data collection, and traceability systems to support evidence-based management and transparency, while addressing the socio-economic needs of fishing communities.
Capacity building features prominently in the agreement. Both countries will explore exchange programmes for fishers, aqua farmers, scientists, and policymakers, alongside training in deep-sea fishing, vessel design, coastal aquaculture, marine resource conservation, and modern fish processing and marketing. Infrastructure development, including fishing harbours and fish landing centres, will also be part of the cooperation.
The Declaration further aims to strengthen bilateral trade through continued dialogue to facilitate exports and imports, address tariff and non-tariff barriers, and promote technology-driven traceability in fisheries and aquaculture products.
A notable element of the agreement is the proposal to establish new Indo-Israel Centres of Excellence for Fisheries and Aquaculture, modelled on the successful network of 43 agricultural Centres of Excellence already operating under Indo-Israel collaboration.
Overall, the agreement is expected to open new avenues for innovation, sustainability, and economic growth in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors of both countries, reinforcing their shared commitment to food security and climate-resilient development.
