Senior IAS officer P. Jawahar on Monday assumed charge as Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

MPEDA, under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is the apex statutory body responsible for promoting, developing and regulating India’s marine products sector and seafood exports.

Before taking up the new assignment, Mr. Jawahar served as Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Government of Puducherry, handling key portfolios such as Industries and Commerce, and Education.

With an academic and administrative background in agriculture, environmental sciences and urban planning, he is expected to bring a strong focus on sustainable growth in the seafood export sector.

According to MPEDA, his leadership is expected to strengthen initiatives related to sustainable fisheries, infrastructure modernisation, value addition and expansion of global market access.

As per provisional data released by MPEDA, India’s seafood exports reached an all-time high of ₹72,325.82 crore, approximately US$8.28 billion, during the 2025-26 financial year. Export volumes also touched a record 19.32 lakh metric tonnes.