India bans medically important antimicrobials in aquaculture to combat public health threat

INDIA – The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India has prohibited the use of several medically important antimicrobials in the aquaculture sector to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and ensure food safety. 

The decision, implemented in May 2025, was announced through an amendment to the 1995 principal order, following consultation with the Export Inspection Council.

The latest directive bars the use of any antimicrobial medicinal products for growth promotion or yield enhancement in aquaculture. 

It also explicitly lists antibiotics, antivirals, and antiprotozoals now banned in the culture of shrimps, prawns, or any other fish and fishery products. These restrictions extend to hatcheries, feed manufacturing units, and processing or pre-processing facilities catering to these products.

The crackdown targets antimicrobials classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as medically important and reserved for human health. 

The list includes 12 antibiotic classes and six specific antibiotics, excluding phosphonic acid derivatives that are authorised for use in both humans and animals. 

The order also stipulates that not just the named antimicrobials, but their groups and related medicinal products are now prohibited.

This regulatory shift comes in response to growing global concerns over the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food-animal production, including poultry, dairy, and aquaculture. 

These practices have been directly linked to the rise of antimicrobial resistance, a phenomenon where disease-causing bacteria become immune to treatments. 

“The presence of resistant bacteria or residual antibiotics in food products such as meat, milk or fish is also a food safety concern,” the government statement noted.

India’s aquaculture sector, a major contributor to the nation’s seafood exports, has come under increased scrutiny due to its scale and global reach. 

India ranks as the world’s third-largest fish producer and the second-largest aquaculture producer, contributing approximately 9% to global fish output. 

In the fiscal year 2023–24, seafood exports hit a record 1.78 million tonnes, valued at US$7.38 billion (Rs 60,523.89 crore), with the United States and China remaining key markets. Frozen shrimp continues to dominate exports.

On the backs of earlier prohibitions 

The current amendment builds upon earlier prohibitions issued by the Ministry of Commerce. In 2002, the ministry banned 20 pharmacologically active substances, including five antibiotics and five antibiotic classes. 

Several of these, such as glycopeptides, also appear in the new list, underscoring their critical importance and ongoing restriction.

While these measures are primarily aimed at safeguarding India’s seafood exports from rejection due to drug residues, domestic regulations have also been evolving. 

In October 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned several antibiotics across all animal-derived food production, including both freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture. Meanwhile, the Coastal Aquaculture Authority enforces restrictions specific to coastal farming zones.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also taken a proactive role. In 2019, it prohibited colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, from use in food-producing animals, including aquaculture. 

In March 2025, further prohibitions were issued against chloramphenicol and nitrofurans and their formulations, reinforcing the government’s stance on curbing antibiotic use in food production systems.

Global data reflects the urgency of these interventions. In 2017, researchers estimated 10,259 tonnes of antimicrobials were used in aquaculture worldwide, with projections showing a 33% increase to 13,600 tonnes annually by 2030. 

The Asia-Pacific region, where India is a dominant player, accounts for the bulk of this usage.

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