Centre names new Commerce Secretary months in advance

In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre has made top-level changes in the Commerce Ministry at a time when bilateral trade treaty talks with several countries including the United States are gaining momentum.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of 1994-batch IAS officer Rajesh Aggarwal as the next Commerce Secretary, nearly six months in advance to the incumbent Sunil Barthwal superannuating on September 30. He will serve as Special Secretary in the interim at the commerce department.

As the chief negotiator for the ongoing trade talks with the US, Aggarwal is expected to lead a team of officials to Washington next week for talking forward talks on the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement.

Meanwhile, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre who has been serving as Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) since January 2022, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Sources indicate that a new DGFT will be appointed soon. The government is likely to appoint an Additional DGFT to assume charge in the interim until a full-time replacement is announced.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is responsible for formulating and implementing India’s Foreign Trade Policy. Headquartered in New Delhi, the DGFT plays a vital role in promoting exports, issuing authorizations to exporters, and ensuring compliance through its 24 regional offices across the country.