In 1952, India, Norway, and the United Nations signed an agreement to launch the Indo-Norwegian Project (INP), one of the first international technical partnerships focused on fisheries development in the Global South. At the time, India faced a significant shortfall in fish production, with actual supply far below nutritional needs. Norway, with its deep experience in marine industries, offered to help modernise India’s coastal fishing sector through equipment, technical knowledge, and infrastructure development.
The first site was established near Quilon (Kollam) in Kerala, with the aim of addressing four broad goals: improve fishing methods, increase profits through better utilisation, improve sanitation and public health, and raise overall living standards in fishing communities. The initial years focused on installing motor engines in traditional boats, introducing new gear, setting up ice production and storage units, and training Indian fishers and technicians, both locally and in Norway.
By 1956, following positive results in Quilon, the project expanded to Cochin, which was then gaining attention as a natural port with potential for larger-scale marine activities. This marked a shift from small-scale interventions toward more structured infrastructure aimed at scaling seafood production.
"The Indo-Norwegian Project did not start with export as its goal,
but by modernising boats, gear, storage, and training, it laid
the groundwork for India’s entry into global seafood markets."
Cochin’s inclusion in the project allowed for larger vessels, deeper harbour access, and greater reach along India’s west coast. Norwegian trawlers were brought in to conduct offshore trials and to introduce modern fishing gear. A boatyard was established to locally build mechanised vessels, many of which were trawlers designed for both fish and shrimp. Over time, these boats replaced traditional canoes in many areas of Kerala.
In 1961, the INP added the Varuna, a research and training vessel that helped generate critical oceanographic data and trained Indian marine professionals. The presence of the Varuna supported better understanding of India’s marine resources and guided future fishing strategies. It also helped build technical capacity across India’s coastal states.
Though seafood exports were not a direct aim at the start, the project’s investments in cold storage, freezing plants, processing facilities, and distribution logistics created the conditions needed for export-readiness. In fact, India’s first shipment of frozen shrimp - half a tonne to the United States in 1953, was made possible through the systems set up in and around Cochin. This marked the start of India’s seafood export industry, and Cochin’s role only grew from there.
As the project evolved, it expanded to other locations including Cannanore, Karwar, and Mandapam, where similar models were used: build harbours and breakwaters, install boatyards and cold chains, and train fishers in mechanised fishing. These projects demonstrated that a coordinated approach, combining infrastructure, training, and marketing systems, could modernise India’s coastal fisheries.
By the mid-1960s, Kerala alone had over 1,200 mechanised boats in operation. Freezing plants built under the project followed international hygiene standards, allowing Indian seafood(especially shrimp), to enter and grow in markets like the U.S. and Europe. The INP also contributed to the early foundation for India’s fisheries institutions, including partnerships with CMFRI, CIFT, and CIFNET, all headquartered in Cochin.
The project was gradually handed over to Indian administration, fulfilling its original intent to be a time-bound technical collaboration. By then, it had succeeded in showing that fisheries could be a viable industrial sector and not just a source of subsistence.
The Indo-Norwegian Project helped shift India’s fisheries from a traditional, small-scale practice to a more structured and modern industry. Its direct investments in boats, infrastructure, training, and research helped build not only domestic capacity but also enabled the birth of India’s seafood export sector. Cochin, with its natural port and growing infrastructure, became the logical centre of these efforts.
In 1952, India, Norway, and the United Nations signed an agreement to launch the Indo-Norwegian Project (INP), one of the first international technical partnerships focused on fisheries development in the Global South. At the time, India faced a significant shortfall in fish production, with actual supply far below nutritional needs. Norway, with its deep experience in marine industries, offered to help modernise India’s coastal fishing sector through equipment, technical knowledge, and infrastructure development.
The first site was established near Quilon (Kollam) in Kerala, with the aim of addressing four broad goals: improve fishing methods, increase profits through better utilisation, improve sanitation and public health, and raise overall living standards in fishing communities. The initial years focused on installing motor engines in traditional boats, introducing new gear, setting up ice production and storage units, and training Indian fishers and technicians, both locally and in Norway.
By 1956, following positive results in Quilon, the project expanded to Cochin, which was then gaining attention as a natural port with potential for larger-scale marine activities. This marked a shift from small-scale interventions toward more structured infrastructure aimed at scaling seafood production.
"The Indo-Norwegian Project did not start with export as its goal,
but by modernising boats, gear, storage, and training, it laid
the groundwork for India’s entry into global seafood markets."
Cochin’s inclusion in the project allowed for larger vessels, deeper harbour access, and greater reach along India’s west coast. Norwegian trawlers were brought in to conduct offshore trials and to introduce modern fishing gear. A boatyard was established to locally build mechanised vessels, many of which were trawlers designed for both fish and shrimp. Over time, these boats replaced traditional canoes in many areas of Kerala.
In 1961, the INP added the Varuna, a research and training vessel that helped generate critical oceanographic data and trained Indian marine professionals. The presence of the Varuna supported better understanding of India’s marine resources and guided future fishing strategies. It also helped build technical capacity across India’s coastal states.
Though seafood exports were not a direct aim at the start, the project’s investments in cold storage, freezing plants, processing facilities, and distribution logistics created the conditions needed for export-readiness. In fact, India’s first shipment of frozen shrimp - half a tonne to the United States in 1953, was made possible through the systems set up in and around Cochin. This marked the start of India’s seafood export industry, and Cochin’s role only grew from there.
As the project evolved, it expanded to other locations including Cannanore, Karwar, and Mandapam, where similar models were used: build harbours and breakwaters, install boatyards and cold chains, and train fishers in mechanised fishing. These projects demonstrated that a coordinated approach, combining infrastructure, training, and marketing systems, could modernise India’s coastal fisheries.
By the mid-1960s, Kerala alone had over 1,200 mechanised boats in operation. Freezing plants built under the project followed international hygiene standards, allowing Indian seafood(especially shrimp), to enter and grow in markets like the U.S. and Europe. The INP also contributed to the early foundation for India’s fisheries institutions, including partnerships with CMFRI, CIFT, and CIFNET, all headquartered in Cochin.
The project was gradually handed over to Indian administration, fulfilling its original intent to be a time-bound technical collaboration. By then, it had succeeded in showing that fisheries could be a viable industrial sector and not just a source of subsistence.
The Indo-Norwegian Project helped shift India’s fisheries from a traditional, small-scale practice to a more structured and modern industry. Its direct investments in boats, infrastructure, training, and research helped build not only domestic capacity but also enabled the birth of India’s seafood export sector. Cochin, with its natural port and growing infrastructure, became the logical centre of these efforts.
