The government has appointed 29 non-official members to the Board of Trade (BoT), bringing together some of India’s leading business figures from banking, technology, manufacturing, healthcare and logistics sectors as it seeks to accelerate export growth and strengthen the country’s global trade competitiveness.
The newly constituted Board, chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, includes prominent industry leaders such as CS Setty, Virat Bhatia and Anish Shah, among others. The appointments are aimed at providing industry-led inputs to trade policy and export promotion initiatives.
Industry Leaders Join Export Push
The Board of Trade serves as a key consultative platform for discussions on measures to enhance India’s exports, manufacturing capabilities and international trade performance. The inclusion of senior executives from diverse sectors is expected to strengthen stakeholder engagement and provide practical recommendations to policymakers.
Among the newly nominated members are representatives from industry bodies and major corporations, including Sunita Ramnathkar, Satish Goel, Vikrampati Singhania, Shailesh Chandra and Satish Reddy.
Other notable appointees include Shridhar Vembu, Parth Jindal, Pawan Goenka and Rajiv Memani.
Role In District Export Hubs And Trade Strategy
According to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the newly nominated members will act as facilitators for District Export Hub initiatives and assist state governments in developing export strategies aligned with India’s Foreign Trade Policy. They will also advise on both short-term and long-term measures to boost exports.
The members are expected to review sector-wise export performance, identify bottlenecks and recommend industry-specific interventions to improve export earnings and enhance India’s competitiveness in global markets.
Strengthening Stakeholder Consultation
The latest appointments build on the government’s efforts to create a more integrated framework for trade consultations. In 2019, the Centre merged the Council for Trade Development and Promotion with the Board of Trade to improve coordination and bring greater coherence to stakeholder engagement on export and import-related issues.
The move comes as India seeks to expand its export footprint across sectors ranging from electronics and automobiles to pharmaceuticals and services. Policymakers have increasingly relied on industry participation to shape trade strategies amid evolving global supply chains and changing trade dynamics.
Focus On Export-Led Growth
The inclusion of leaders from companies such as Apple India, SBI and Mahindra & Mahindra reflects the government’s focus on leveraging industry expertise to drive export-led growth. The Board is expected to play a critical role in supporting policy formulation, identifying emerging opportunities and strengthening India’s position in global value chains.
With India aiming to achieve ambitious export targets and expand its manufacturing base, the strengthened Board of Trade is likely to become an important bridge between policymakers and industry, helping shape the next phase of the country’s trade and export strategy.