Srinagar, Oct. 9 -- India's decision to ratify Phase 1 of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies marks an important and pragmatic step in global fisheries governance. By depositing its Instrument of Acceptance on July 20, 2026, India has aligned itself with the international effort to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while preserving its policy space on issues that directly affect small-scale and artisanal fishers.

The ratified phase focuses on IUU fishing, overfished stocks and unregulated fishing on the high seas. It does not cover the more difficult questions of overcapacity and overfishing, including subsidies for fuel, gear, ice, vessel construction and modernisation. Those issues belong to Phase 2, where In...