The Central Government has approved India’s accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), clearing the way for Indian-flagged fishing vessels and enterprises to undertake authorised high-seas fishing in the southern Indian Ocean. The decision was announced on 14 October 2026 by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, following a Cabinet-level clearance.
This is a landmark step for India’s Blue Economy ambitions: for the first time, India will hold full Contracting Party status in a regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) governing non-tuna stocks on the high seas.
What is SIOFA?
The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement is a legally binding international framework that manages and conserves fishery resources in the high seas of the southern Indian Ocean:
- Signed: July 2006 in Rome
- Entered into force: 21 June 2012
- Scope: Fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other non-highly migratory fishery resources in the SIOFA area of competence
- Excluded: Highly migratory species such as tuna (covered by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, IOTC, where India has been a Contracting Party since 1996) and sedentary species under coastal-state jurisdiction
- Objectives: Long-term conservation and sustainable use, scientific cooperation, and prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
Why this matters for India
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Authorised high-seas access | Indian vessels can target high-value stocks including squid, toothfish and alfonsino in the SIOFA area, subject to conservation measures and fishing authorisations |
| Full decision-making role | India moves from Cooperating Non-Contracting Party (a status it has held since 2022) to Contracting Party, with full participation in the Scientific Committee and Compliance Committee |
| Scientific data access | Access to shared scientific data, research programmes and stock assessments that inform sustainable harvest levels |
| IUU combat | Active participation in the High Seas Boarding and Inspection (HSBI) Scheme adopted under SIOFA, strengthening coastal security and anti-IUU enforcement |
| Blue Economy alignment | Follows the Government’s Guidelines for High Seas Fisheries issued in December 2025 — a consistent policy push to expand India’s fishing fleet beyond the EEZ |
The high-seas opportunity — in numbers
The high seas make up approximately 65 per cent of the global ocean, yet this space is currently dominated by a handful of players: China (21 per cent), Taiwan (13 per cent), Japan (11 per cent), South Korea (11 per cent) and Spain (8 per cent). Indian fishing vessels today operate largely within 60–80 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Accession to SIOFA gives India a legitimate, rules-based route to expand its fishing capacity into international waters — as the Ministry put it, it “affirms a recognised presence on the high seas” while safeguarding India’s strategic interests.
A word of caution: what accession does and does not do
- The 14 October announcement confirms government approval of accession — the formal treaty process and authorisations will follow; it is not an instant, unrestricted fishing right.
- Every vessel will need fishing authorisations and must comply with SIOFA conservation measures.
- Access to scientific assessments does not by itself mean stocks are abundant — sustainable harvest decisions depend on the science, and India’s new seat at the Scientific Committee table is as much a responsibility as an opportunity.
What to watch next
- Formal completion of India’s treaty accession and issuance of vessel authorisations under SIOFA
- India’s first participation in SIOFA Scientific Committee stock assessments
- How the High Seas Boarding and Inspection scheme is operationalised
- Downstream effects: new economic opportunities for fishing enterprises, processors, exporters and cold-chain operators
Sources: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying announcement via PIB (14 October 2026); DD India, 15 October 2026; IANS, 14 October 2026. Facts cross-checked against multiple reports; figures current as of 22 October 2026.