New Delhi [India], August 26 (ANI): Seychelles has expressed interest in accelerating a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India focused exclusively on fisheries and aquaculture, as the two countries explore wider cooperation in marine research, technology and the blue economy, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a release.

The proposal emerged during a high-level bilateral meeting held on August 25 between officials from India and Seychelles, where both sides discussed an advanced work plan and institutional mechanisms to turn existing cooperation into concrete projects.

The Seychelles delegation, led by Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Blue Economy Wallace Cosgrow, and the Indian delegation, led by Department of Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi, reviewed existing frameworks and explored new areas of cooperation.

The discussions covered marine aquaculture, modern hatcheries, tuna fisheries, fish stock assessment, post-harvest technology and marine conservation. The two sides also identified opportunities for knowledge transfer through technical studies, fisheries extension services and institutional training programmes.

Digital technology emerged as another area of potential cooperation, with both sides discussing fisheries data systems and monitoring, control and surveillance infrastructure. They also explored the use of artificial intelligence in harvest management, along with opportunities to improve tuna processing, product diversification and sustainable fish waste management.

The two countries agreed on the need for a structured annual work plan, regulatory alignment, faster commercialisation of joint scientific research, reciprocal laboratory access and jointly designed pilot projects to support long-term cooperation.

The ministry said both sides viewed fisheries and the wider blue economy as important for economic growth, rural employment, sustainable development and food and nutritional security in the Indian Ocean Region.

India shared its recent achievements in the sector, including national fish production of 19.7 million tonnes and seafood exports worth USD 8.46 billion. It also highlighted initiatives focused on sustainable fisheries management, responsible harvesting and technology-driven infrastructure.

Looking ahead, both sides emphasised mutual exposure visits, specialised technical exchanges and greater use of national Centres of Excellence to strengthen institutional capacity and share best practices.

The meeting concluded with a shared focus on developing result-oriented action plans aimed at strengthening long-term maritime cooperation between India and Seychelles.

According to official data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Seychelles' imports from India stood at USD 91.73 million in 2024, while exports to India were USD 2.46 million. The data showed that trade between the two countries continued to have significant scope for expansion. (ANI)