Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction and Applicability

AquaSangham ("Platform", "App", "we", "us", or "our") is an online marketplace application designed to connect buyers, sellers, traders, and other participants in India's aquaculture and seafood industry. The Platform is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and any associated websites or web applications operated by us.

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", or "your") and AquaSangham. By downloading, installing, accessing, or using the Platform in any manner, you expressly acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety.

If you do not agree to any or all of these Terms, you must immediately cease all use of the Platform and delete it from your device(s). Your continued use of the Platform after any amendments to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of such amended Terms.

We reserve the right to amend, modify, or update these Terms at any time at our sole discretion. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the updated Terms on the Platform. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically. We may, but are not obligated to, notify you of material changes via in-app notifications or email.

2. Nature of the Platform — Marketplace Only

IMPORTANT: AquaSangham is solely a marketplace platform that connects buyers and sellers. We are NOT a party to any transaction between users.

• AquaSangham does not own, procure, store, handle, transport, process, grade, or inspect any aquaculture products, fish, shrimp, prawns, feed, equipment, or any other goods or services listed on the Platform.
• We do not guarantee the quality, quantity, grade, size, weight, health, freshness, legality, or any other attribute of goods listed by sellers.
• We do not act as an agent, broker, intermediary, warehouse, cold storage facility, logistics provider, or escrow service for any party.
• All negotiations, agreements, payments, delivery logistics, quality checks, and dispute resolution between buyers and sellers are the sole responsibility of the respective parties involved in the transaction.
• AquaSangham does not verify the accuracy of any listing, price, quantity, image, or description posted by users. Users are solely responsible for the accuracy and truthfulness of their content.

3. Commission and Fee Structure

AquaSangham charges a platform commission of 0.5% (zero point five percent) plus applicable Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all successful transactions facilitated through the Platform ("Platform Fee").

• The Platform Fee is calculated on the final transaction value as agreed between the buyer and seller.
• The Platform Fee is payable by the party as specified at the time of the transaction, and must be settled within 7 (seven) days of the transaction completion.
• GST shall be charged at the prevailing rate as determined by Indian tax law. Currently, GST on platform services is 18% on the commission amount.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to modify the commission rate at any time with prior notice to users. Updated rates will apply to transactions initiated after the effective date of the change.
• Non-payment or delayed payment of the Platform Fee may result in suspension or termination of your account, restriction of services, and/or legal action for recovery of dues.
• AquaSangham may introduce additional service charges, subscription plans, or premium features in the future, which will be communicated with adequate notice.

4. User Responsibility and Disclaimer for Stock / Goods

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY:

• AquaSangham does not take responsibility for your stock, inventory, goods, or any products traded through the Platform. All aquaculture products, fish, shrimp, feed, equipment, and other goods listed or traded through the Platform remain the sole property and responsibility of the respective buyers and sellers.
• Sellers are solely responsible for ensuring the quality, grade, size, count, health status, freshness, proper packaging, accurate weight measurement, and timely delivery of goods they list and sell.
• Buyers are solely responsible for conducting their own due diligence, inspection, quality verification, and acceptance of goods before completing any payment or trade.
• We strongly advise all users to trade responsibly. This includes but is not limited to: visiting the farm or facility before purchase, verifying the seller's identity and reputation, using secure payment methods, obtaining proper invoices and receipts, and checking applicable licenses and permits.
• AquaSangham shall not be held liable for any loss, damage, spoilage, mortality, contamination, weight discrepancy, grade mismatch, delayed delivery, non-delivery, defective goods, or any other issue arising from transactions between users.
• Any disputes regarding the quality, quantity, pricing, payment, delivery, or any other aspect of a transaction must be resolved directly between the buyer and seller. AquaSangham may, at its sole discretion, offer mediation assistance, but is under no obligation to do so.

5. Account Registration and Eligibility

• To access and use the Platform, you must register and create an account ("Account") by providing accurate and complete information, including your name, mobile phone number, location, and other details as required.
• You must be at least 18 years of age and legally competent to enter into a binding contract under Indian law.
• You shall create only one Account using your credentials unless expressly authorized in writing by AquaSangham.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your Account credentials. You shall not share your login details with any third party.
• You are solely responsible for all activities that occur under your Account, whether or not authorized by you.
• You must promptly update your Account information if any details change and notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access or security breach.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to verify your identity, request additional documentation (such as KYC documents), and suspend or terminate your Account if any information is found to be false, inaccurate, outdated, or incomplete.
• Providing false or misleading information during registration or at any subsequent time may result in immediate account termination and legal action.

6. User-Generated Content and Listings

• Users may post listings, trade leads, community posts, questions, comments, images, and other content ("User Content") on the Platform.
• You retain ownership of your User Content, but by posting it on the Platform, you grant AquaSangham a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, display, reproduce, modify, distribute, and sublicense your User Content for the purposes of operating, promoting, and improving the Platform.
• You are solely responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of all User Content you post. AquaSangham does not pre-screen or endorse User Content.
• You shall not post User Content that is false, misleading, defamatory, obscene, threatening, abusive, hateful, discriminatory (based on caste, religion, gender, or ethnicity), or that infringes on any intellectual property rights or privacy rights of any third party.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to remove, modify, or restrict any User Content at any time without prior notice and without liability, at our sole discretion.
• Repeated violations of content guidelines will result in temporary or permanent suspension of your Account.

7. Payments and Transactions

• All payments for transactions between buyers and sellers on the Platform are handled directly between the parties. AquaSangham does not process, hold, or manage transaction payments between buyers and sellers.
• Any payment details (credit card, debit card, UPI, net banking, or digital wallets) you provide must be accurate, valid, and owned by you, or you must have explicit authorization from the account holder.
• AquaSangham is not liable for any payment fraud, chargebacks, unauthorized transactions, or any financial loss arising from payment methods used between users.
• Payment of Platform Fees due to AquaSangham may be made through methods specified within the Platform.
• You are responsible for all applicable taxes, duties, and levies related to your transactions on the Platform, including but not limited to GST, income tax, and TDS obligations as per applicable Indian law.

8. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

• Using the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.
• Posting false, fraudulent, or misleading listings or content with the intent to deceive other users.
• Engaging in price manipulation, artificial inflation of prices, cartel behavior, or any activity that distorts market prices displayed on the Platform.
• Harassing, abusing, threatening, intimidating, or bullying other users through the Platform's messaging, community, or any other feature.
• Attempting to circumvent, disable, or interfere with the Platform's security features, access controls, or operational integrity.
• Reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembling, or attempting to derive the source code of the Platform's software.
• Scraping, crawling, or using automated means to access or collect data from the Platform without prior written consent.
• Creating multiple accounts, fake accounts, or impersonating another person or entity.
• Trading in illegal, banned, restricted, or counterfeit goods or services.
• Using the Platform to distribute spam, malware, viruses, or any other harmful software or content.
• Attempting to solicit users to conduct transactions outside the Platform to avoid Platform Fees.

9. Blocking, Reporting, and Moderation

• Users may block other users to prevent further interaction. Blocked users will not be able to view your listings, posts, or profile, and vice versa.
• Users may report listings, posts, comments, or other users for violations of these Terms. All reports will be reviewed by our moderation team.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary in response to reports, including but not limited to content removal, warnings, temporary suspension, or permanent termination of the reported user's Account.
• False or malicious reporting may itself constitute a violation of these Terms and may result in action against the reporting user.

10. Intellectual Property Rights

• The Platform, including its design, layout, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio, video, text, software, code, algorithms, and all other content and materials ("AquaSangham IP") are the exclusive intellectual property of AquaSangham and/or its licensors.
• You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Platform solely for its intended purpose, subject to these Terms.
• Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, modification, display, or use of AquaSangham IP is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of applicable intellectual property laws.
• All trademarks, service marks, trade names, and brand elements associated with AquaSangham are the property of AquaSangham. You may not use them without prior written consent.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

• The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not owned or controlled by AquaSangham.
• AquaSangham has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services.
• The inclusion of any third-party link does not imply endorsement or recommendation by AquaSangham.
• You access third-party links entirely at your own risk and are subject to the terms and conditions of those third-party services.

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE PLATFORM AND ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

• AquaSangham makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of any content on the Platform, including but not limited to price data, market trends, knowledge articles, or user-generated listings.
• We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free from viruses, malware, or other harmful components.
• We do not warrant that the results obtained from the use of the Platform, including calculators, price trends, or any analytical tools, will be accurate or reliable.
• Your use of the Platform is entirely at your own risk. You assume full responsibility for any decisions made based on information obtained through the Platform.
• AquaSangham expressly disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and any warranties arising from course of dealing or usage of trade.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

• AquaSangham, its directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, and affiliates shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, business opportunity, or any other intangible losses.
• This limitation of liability applies regardless of the theory of liability (contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise) and even if AquaSangham has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
• AquaSangham's total aggregate liability for all claims related to the Platform shall not exceed the total Platform Fees paid by you to AquaSangham in the 12 (twelve) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or INR 10,000 (Indian Rupees Ten Thousand), whichever is lower.
• AquaSangham is not liable for any loss, damage, or injury arising from transactions between users, including but not limited to financial loss, property damage, spoilage of goods, loss of stock due to mortality, or personal injury.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AquaSangham, its directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to:

• Your use or misuse of the Platform.
• Your violation of these Terms or any applicable law or regulation.
• Your User Content, including any claims of intellectual property infringement.
• Any transaction or dispute between you and another user.
• Any fraud, willful misconduct, negligence, or misrepresentation by you.
• Any claim by a third party arising from your activities on the Platform.

15. Termination

• You may deactivate your Account at any time by using the account settings within the Platform or by contacting our support team. Deactivation does not absolve you of any outstanding obligations, including unpaid Platform Fees.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate your Account at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice, including but not limited to violations of these Terms.
• Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. AquaSangham may retain or delete your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable laws.
• AquaSangham reserves the right to discontinue the Platform or any feature thereof at any time without liability to you or any third party.
• Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections on Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Governing Law, and Dispute Resolution) shall survive.

16. Security

• AquaSangham employs industry-standard security protocols and reasonable security measures to protect the information stored, transmitted, or processed through the Platform.
• However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. AquaSangham shall not be held responsible for any unauthorized access, data breach, or loss of information that occurs despite our reasonable security efforts.
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your device, Account credentials, and any personal information you share on the Platform.

17. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

• These Terms shall be governed by, interpreted, and construed in accordance with the laws of India.
• In case of any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the use of the Platform ("Dispute"), both parties shall first attempt to resolve the Dispute amicably through good-faith negotiation for a period of 30 (thirty) days.
• If the Dispute remains unresolved, it shall be referred to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (as amended). The arbitration shall be conducted by a sole arbitrator mutually appointed by the parties.
• The language of arbitration shall be English. The arbitral award shall be final and binding on both parties.
• The seat and venue of arbitration shall be Hyderabad, Telangana, India, unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing.
• Subject to the arbitration clause, the courts of Hyderabad, Telangana shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any proceedings relating to these Terms.

18. Force Majeure

AquaSangham shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics, government actions, war, terrorism, civil unrest, power outages, internet disruptions, cyberattacks, or any other event constituting force majeure under Indian law.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed from the remaining Terms, which shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be replaced with a valid provision that most closely achieves the original intent.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and AquaSangham regarding your use of the Platform, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties.

21. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or grievances regarding these Terms, please contact us at: