New Delhi, Delhi, 16th of January, 2026 : A high-level Indian delegation led by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, concluded a successful official visit to Israel from 13–15 January 2026 to participate in the Second Global Summit on “Blue Food Security: Sea the Future 2026”, held in Eilat, Israel. The visit marked a significant step in further strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and Israel in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
The Hon’ble Minister participated in the Opening Plenary Session of the Summit, where he interacted with Mr. Avi Dichter, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Israel, Mr. David Amsalem, Minister for Regional Cooperation, senior government officials, and private sector representatives. The event witnessed participation from several countries, including Ministers from Ghana, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and senior delegates from Jordan, Morocco, Romania, the Philippines, among others.
The Hon’ble Minister also participated in the Global Ministerial Panel Discussion on Food Security and the Blue Economy, where he highlighted India’s remarkable achievements in the fisheries sector and emphasized India’s expanding role in strengthening global fisheries and aquaculture. He reiterated India’s strong commitment to sustainable blue economy practices, innovation, international cooperation and responsible resource management to advance global food security.
During the visit, the Hon’ble Minister toured the Ag-Tech Innovation Exhibition, inaugurated by Israel’s Minister of Agriculture, and interacted with startups working in fisheries, aquaculture, blue food and marine innovation, underscoring the critical role of technology and innovation in driving sustainable sectoral growth.
The Hon’ble Minister held bilateral meetings with his Israeli counterpart Mr. Avi Dichter and Ministers from other participating countries. Discussions with the Israeli Minister focused on enhancing cooperation through trade, capacity building, startup exchanges, joint research and development, sharing of best practices, and collaboration in mariculture and allied sectors.
A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Field of Fisheries and Aquaculture between India and Israel. The Declaration reaffirms mutual commitment to collaboration in technology and innovation, sustainable fishing practices, capacity building and trade, and lays the foundation for the establishment of Joint Centres of Excellence.
The Hon’ble Minister also met Ms. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development of Ghana, to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation with a focus on sustainable growth and knowledge exchange.
In addition, the delegation met and had discussions with leading Israeli industry representatives, including:
- Mr. Eli Goldberg, CEO, Aquaculture Production Tech Ltd, on water-efficient and advanced aquaculture technologies;
- Mr. Shai Ufaz, CEO, ViAqua Therapeutics Ltd, on RNA-based solutions for shrimp health and biosecurity; and
- Mr. Doron Eisenstadt, CEO, Bar Algae, on advanced microalgae technologies to enhance hatchery productivity and seed quality.
The delegation visited the National Centre for Mariculture (NCM), Eilat, Israel’s premier research hub for marine aquaculture innovation, where discussions were held on broodstock development, hatchery technologies, IMTA models and disease management, with a view to joint research and adaptation of advanced mariculture solutions to Indian conditions.
The delegation also visited the SeaNovation Innovation Center, Israel’s leading accelerator for advanced aquaculture and Blue Economy innovation, to explore practical avenues for deeper collaboration between India and Israel.
The visit underscores the growing strategic and economic engagement between India and Israel and reflects the shared commitment of both countries to deepen cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture. It is expected to further reinforce the longstanding partnership between the two nations and open new pathways for collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
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