Historic First: Chennai Airport dispatches maiden chilled fish consignment to Oman under India–Oman CEPA

CHENNAI : In a significant milestone for India’s seafood export sector, the first-ever chilled fish consignment to Oman under the landmark India–Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was successfully flagged off from Chennai Airport, marking a new chapter in bilateral trade and market access for Indian marine products.

The consignment, exported by M/s. Aqua World Exports Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, was ceremonially flagged off by Mrs. Manimegalai Selvam, Assistant Commissioner of Customs, in the presence of Shri A. Jeyabal, Joint Director, MPEDA, Shri G. Jayapalan, Joint Director, EIA Chennai, Shri Subramanian, Assistant Manager, Airports Authority of India, Shri Abhijith, Managing Partner, Aqua World Exports Pvt. Ltd., along with officials from Air Customs and other stakeholder agencies.

The shipment represents the first chilled seafood export movement under the India–Oman CEPA framework and highlights the growing opportunities available to Indian exporters through enhanced trade facilitation and preferential market access.

The India–Oman CEPA provides a major boost to Indian exports by granting 100 percent duty-free market access on 98.08 percent of tariff lines, covering 99.38 percent of India’s export value to Oman, with benefits becoming effective from the very first day of implementation.

For the marine products sector, the agreement delivers immediate advantages by eliminating import duties that previously ranged between 0 and 5 percent, significantly improving the competitiveness of Indian seafood in the Omani market. The duty-free access is expected to strengthen India’s position as a reliable supplier of high-quality marine products while opening new avenues for export growth across Oman and the wider Middle East region.

Industry stakeholders view this inaugural shipment as a landmark achievement that demonstrates the tangible benefits of the CEPA. The agreement is expected to facilitate faster trade flows, encourage greater participation from seafood exporters, and enhance India’s presence in one of the region’s strategically important markets.

Given the labour-intensive nature of the fisheries and seafood processing industry, expanded market access under the CEPA is also anticipated to generate substantial employment opportunities across India’s coastal states, benefiting fishermen, processors, exporters, logistics providers, and allied sectors.

The successful dispatch of the maiden chilled fish consignment from Chennai Airport stands as a strong testament to the collaborative efforts of customs authorities, export promotion agencies, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders in advancing India’s seafood export ambitions and strengthening economic ties with Oman.

With duty-free access now in place and trade corridors becoming more efficient, Indian seafood exporters are poised to unlock new growth opportunities across the Gulf region, further reinforcing India’s position as a leading global supplier of marine products.