Exploring Seafood Opportunities: Commerce Department Convenes Seminar on India-EFTA TEPA

On July 3, 2026, India's Department of Commerce hosted a Chintan Shivir in Chennai, running alongside Seafood Expo Bharat 2026, to explore growth avenues under the newly operational India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). Gathering key government and industry stakeholders, the event focused on expanding seafood exports to the four EFTA nations: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. As India's inaugural trade pact with a European economic bloc, TEPA is designed to deepen trade relations with a highly lucrative market, aiming to attract US$ 100 billion in investments, generate one million direct jobs, and foster technological collaborations. The session underscored the substantial market advantages TEPA offers Indian aquaculture and seafood businesses, primarily through sweeping tariff reductions. Notably, Iceland and Norway have completely eliminated their respective 55% and 13.16% import duties on aquatic feed, while Switzerland has scrapped its 18.05% tariff on fish fats and oils. To help exporters leverage these highly competitive terms, representatives from various regulatory and trade bodies detailed investment prospects, quality protocols, and promotional schemes. The event concluded with an open dialogue to address compliance and market access hurdles, reaffirming the government's drive to expand India's seafood footprint in Europe. $AVANTIFEED $MUKKA $APEX