India opens the high seas: a new permit scheme to bring Indian fishermen home from foreign waters

 

A forthcoming Letter of Authorisation scheme will allow Indian companies and vessels to fish in international waters — formally claiming a space long occupied by European and Gulf-nation fleets, and offering alternatives to Indian crew currently working abroad.

Maritime PolicyApril 27, 2026New Delhi / Kochi

657Indian fishermen evacuated from Iran since Feb 2026

2.38 LRegistered fishing vessels in India

64,187Mechanised vessels needing access passes

8%India's share of global fish output

India is preparing to formalise its presence in one of the world's last great open frontiers — the high seas. A new Letter of Authorisation scheme, expected to be launched as early as next month, will for the first time permit Indian companies and fishing vessels to operate beyond the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, competing directly with the European and Gulf fleets that have long dominated international waters rich in marine resources.

The policy shift is driven by two converging pressures: the desire to capture economic value from India's standing as the world's second-largest fish producer, and the more immediate concern of retaining the country's highly skilled deep-sea fishermen — many of whom have been recruited by Iran, Oman, and other Gulf nations for decades.

"If Chinese and European vessels are fishing in the Indian Ocean, why not India?"

— Senior government official

Why Indian fishermen are in demand abroad

The global reputation of Indian deep-sea fishermen — particularly those from coastal Tamil Nadu and Kerala — has made them a sought-after resource far beyond India's shores. Communities from Colachel and Thoothoor in Tamil Nadu are especially known for their seamanship, technical proficiency, and readiness to operate in demanding open-ocean conditions.

From the Arabian Sea to Diego Garcia

Indian crews operate across the northern Arabian Sea near the Strait of Hormuz, and have demonstrated capabilities as far as Diego Garcia — roughly 4,500 km from Kochi — underscoring the genuinely global footprint of India's fishing workforce.

Iran and Oman began building out their deep-sea fishing sectors eight to ten years ago, and Indian fishermen — recruited through both formal and informal channels — became central to those operations. The conflict in West Asia has now made this dependence visible: 657 Indian fishermen had to be moved out of Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan after hostilities began in late February 2026, prompting urgent diplomatic intervention.

What the new policy framework involves

Letter of Authorisation (LoA) scheme

Indian firms and vessels will be permitted to operate on the high seas under the same regulatory framework currently applied within the EEZ — formalising a pathway that did not previously exist.

Domestic treatment of high-sea catch

Marine produce from the high seas will no longer be treated as imports when brought into Indian territory — removing a significant commercial disincentive for operators.

Export flexibility from the high seas

Catch delivered to foreign ports directly from international waters — without entering Indian territory — will be counted as exports, unlocking logistics flexibility for operators.

Relaxed visa rules for technical staff

Visa processes have been eased for foreign technical personnel needed to operate and crew specialised deep-sea vessels, and to train Indian staff in advanced fishing techniques.

India's fishing fleet — who needs to comply

Registered fishing vessels across 13 coastal states and UTs

Total registered vessels

2,38,000+

Small vessels (exempt)

1,72,000

Mechanised — need access pass

64,187

Access passes issued so far

~4,000

The EEZ access pass system — notified in November 2025 — forms the foundation on which the high-seas scheme will be built. Traditional and small-scale fishers are fully exempted, but the country's 64,187 mechanised vessels will need to obtain passes for deep-sea operations. So far, around 4,000 have been issued, suggesting a significant administrative task still lies ahead before the sector can be fully formalised.

The small-scale dimension: While the high-seas push captures attention, India's fishing sector is overwhelmingly small-scale — around 4 million marine fishers operate largely within 12 nautical miles of the coast. These communities face near-shore pressure, climate risks, and market volatility, and their interests are being separately championed at forums such as the World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress in Thailand, where India's fisheries secretary led a delegation in late April.

The ambition behind the high-seas initiative is clear: to ensure that Indian fishermen who have built careers in the deep ocean doing so for foreign fleets can eventually do the same — on the same terms, with the same earnings — flying the Indian flag. Whether that transition happens smoothly will depend as much on investment appetite and vessel availability as on the regulatory architecture the government is now constructing.