Current Affairs - International - Discussion

India officially became the 123rd member to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) on July 20, 2026. The agreement, adopted during the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva in 2022, aims to curb harmful fisheries subsidies by prohibiting support for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and activities involving overfished stocks. In India, its implementation is supported by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and sustainable fisheries regulations, while safeguarding the interests of small-scale fishers and promoting responsible marine resource management.