India, Maldives Strengthen Ties with New MoU on Fisheries and Aquaculture

New Delhi — India and the Maldives have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of fisheries and aquaculture, with a focus on sustainable practices, innovation, and mutual growth in the sector, the government announced on Saturday.

The agreement, signed between India’s Department of Fisheries and the Maldives' Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, aims to advance sustainable tuna and deep-sea fisheries, promote responsible resource management, boost aquaculture, and encourage eco-tourism based on marine resources. It also supports innovation and collaborative scientific research between the two nations.

The MoU was one of six signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the Maldives, as part of broader efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said.

Key areas of cooperation under the MoU include:

• Development of fisheries value chains

• Advancing mariculture techniques

• Facilitating trade in fisheries products

• Capacity building and skill development within the sector

To support this collaboration, the Maldives will invest in expanding its fish processing and cold storage infrastructure. The agreement also includes support for aquaculture development through hatchery expansion, enhancing production efficiency, and diversifying species for cultivation.

Training and knowledge exchange programs will also be launched, focusing on areas such as aquatic animal health, biosecurity, aquaculture farm management, and technical skills like refrigeration, mechanical engineering, and marine engineering — aimed at long-term skill development in the industry.

According to the ministry, this partnership reflects a shared vision between India and the Maldives for a resilient, innovative, and sustainable fisheries sector.

Other agreements signed during the visit include:

• A ?4,850 crore Line of Credit (LoC) to the Maldives

• An amendatory agreement to ease the Maldives’ annual debt repayment obligations on Indian-funded LoCs

• Terms of Reference to initiate an India-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

• MoUs for cooperation in tropical meteorology, tourism, environmental monitoring, and digital public infrastructure

These agreements reaffirm the strong and evolving strategic partnership between the two nations.

With inputs from IANS