India is trying to fish in Pakistan's troubled waters as far as marine products are concerned.
Following a ban imposed by the European Union on all marine products from Pakistan, Indian exporters are all set to cash in on the situation now.
In a major blow to the Pakistan seafood market, the banned all marine products to the European states from April 12.
At present, EU imports $50 million worth of marine products from Pakistan. The ban will help Indian sea-food sector as it is in the process of expanding the market in EU post US anti-dumping duty on shrimp.
The ban decision comes in the wake of a visit by the EU team early this year. It had also visited Indian processing units.
After the inspections by the food and veterinary office officials of the EC in January, it delisted 11 fisheries establishments.
The units would now have to meet the requirements of the EC based on the deficiencies and upgrade their facilities.
Indian seafood exporters said a similar ban was imposed on the Indian marine sector in 1996, which forced the industry to invest heavily to upgrade the machinery.
Exporters said the Pakistan market was dear to the EU nations and like India it was an exporter mainly of raw material.
The ban on Indian marine products had helped the Pakistan market to get a foothold among EU members then.
With the present ban on Pakistan seafood products, the wheel has come a full circle and Indian seafood exporters are said to capitalise on it.
