India becomes a Party to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 20 July 2026, becoming the 123rd WTO Member to do so and a Party to the Agreement.
Summary
India became a Party to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) on 20 July 2026 when Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal handed India's Instrument of Acceptance to the WTO Director-General; India is the 123rd WTO Member to deposit its acceptance. The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022, is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective, and entered into force on 15 September 2025 after acceptance by two-thirds of WTO Members. The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies prohibits subsidies linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fishing of overfished stocks, and covers marine wild capture fishing; aquaculture and inland fisheries remain outside its scope.
Key facts
- Date
- 20 July 2026
- India's position
- 123rd WTO Member to deposit Instrument of Acceptance
- Handed over by
- Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, to WTO Director-General
- Adopted
- 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), Geneva, June 2022
- In force
- 15 September 2025
- Scope
- Marine wild capture fishing; aquaculture and inland fisheries excluded
- Prohibits
- Subsidies for IUU fishing and fishing of overfished stocks
Practice MCQs 4 questions
On 20 July 2026, India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of which WTO agreement?
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Correct answer: B — Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
India became a Party to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
India is the ____ WTO Member to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
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Correct answer: C — 123rd
India is the 123rd WTO Member to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance.
At which WTO Ministerial Conference was the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies adopted?
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Correct answer: D — MC12, Geneva
The Agreement was adopted by consensus at the 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva in June 2022.
Consider the following statements about the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: 1. The Agreement entered into force on 15 September 2025. 2. Aquaculture and inland fisheries are covered by the Agreement. 3. The Agreement is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 3 only
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong: aquaculture and inland fisheries are outside the Agreement's scope.