Government Reconstitutes Board of Trade, Includes 40 Non-official Members from Industry to Boost India’s Export Strategy
New Delhi:
Port Wings News Network:
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has issued Notification No. 18/2026-27 (S.O. (E)) dated 2nd June, 2026, nominating 40 Non-official Members for the reconstituted Board of Trade (BOT).
According to a report in A2Z TAXCORP, the notification has been issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The new nomination supersedes Notification No. 21/2015-2020 dated 8 July, 2022, which had nominated 29 Non-official Members to the Board of Trade.
The current notification enhances the composition of the BOT by expanding the Non-official membership from 29 to 40, bringing in a wider and more representative cross-section of India’s trade and industry ecosystem.
List of 40 Non-official Members Nominated to the Board of Trade:
The following eminent personalities from trade, industry, export promotion bodies, and professional institutes have been nominated as Non-official Members:
1. Sunita Ramnathkar, President, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2. Satish Goel, President, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA)
3. Vikrampati Singhania, President, Automobile Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA)
4. K. M. Subramanian, President, Tiruppur Exporters’ Association
5. Sanjay Nayyar, Founder, Sorin Investments
6. C. S. Setty, Chairman, SBI
7. Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel
8. Virat Bhatia, MD, Apple India
9. Pankaj Mahindroo, Chairman, India Cellular & Electronics Association
10 Jasbir Singh, CEO, Amber Industries
11. Puran Dawar, Chairman and Founder, Dawar Group
12. Naren Goenka, Owner (Chairman Bharat Tex), Texport Industries
13. Jayen Mehta, Chairman, GCMMF
14. Shashi Kiran, Founder & Executive Chairman, Allcargo Group
15. Vaibhav Vohra, Group MD, Continental Carriers
16. Anish Shah, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra
17. Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel
18. Sandeep Somany, Chairman and MD, Somany Impressa Group
19. Kushagra Srivastava, Co-Founder, Chakr Innovations
20. Shailesh Chandra, President SIAM and MD & CEO, Tata Motors
21. Laxmikumaran, Founder & Managing Partner, Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan
22. Haigreve Khaitan, Managing Partner, Khaitan & Co.
23. Arun Alagappan, Executive Chairman, Coromandel International Limited
24. Satish Reddy, Chairperson, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.
25. Dr. Satyanarayana Chava, Executive Director and CEO, Laurus Labs
26. Kunal A. Nahar, Director, Rajgir Gems
27. Parth Jindal, MD, JSW Cements
28. Shridhar Vembu, Co-founder, Zoho Corporation
29. Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, CMD, Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW)
30. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe
31. Pasha Patel, Former Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council
32. Nimish Ashok Save, President (North Konkan Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture) &MD, Venture Proficient Ltd.
33. Umesh Jain, Director, Sponge Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
34. Venkat Rao Nekkanti, Managing Director, Nekkanti Sea Foods
35. Rajiv Memani, Chairman and CEO, EY India
36. Jitendra Kathiriya, Director & MD, Bharat Buildcon & Creatofox Communication Pvt. Ltd.
37. Dr. Upasana Arora, MD, Yashoda Group of Hospitals
38. President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
39. President, Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
40. President, The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI)
Terms of Reference for Non-official Members:
The Terms of Reference for the Non-official Members of the Board of Trade shall be as follows:
To provide a platform to State Governments and UTs for articulating State-oriented perspectives on Trade Policy;
To act as a facilitator in the implementation of District Export Hub events, including sensitization workshops, identification, and promotion of identified products;
To provide a platform to the Government of India for apprising State Governments and UTs about international developments affecting India’s trade potential and opportunities, and to prepare them to deal with the evolving situation;
To help State Governments develop and pursue export strategies in line with the National Foreign Trade Policy;
To provide a platform for deliberation on the need for infrastructure relevant for promoting trade and for identification of impediments and infrastructure gaps which adversely affect India’s export;
To facilitate a mechanism for discussion on operationalisation of the trade infrastructure;
To advise the Government on policy measures for the preparation and implementation of both short and long-term plans for increasing exports;
To review export performance of various sectors, identify constraints, and suggest industry-specific measures to optimise export earnings;
To examine the existing institutional framework for imports and exports and suggest practical measures for further streamlining to achieve the desired objectives;
To review policy instruments and procedures for imports and exports and suggest steps to rationalise use; and
To examine issues which are considered relevant for the promotion of India’s foreign trade and for strengthening the international competitiveness of Indian goods and services.
Significance of the Reconstitution:
The reconstitution of the Board of Trade with 40 Non-official Members reflects the Government’s commitment to a broader, more inclusive consultation mechanism for shaping India’s foreign trade policy. The new membership brings together leaders from manufacturing, technology, exports, logistics, pharma, infrastructure, professional services, and statutory bodies, ensuring that the BOT’s deliberations are grounded in diverse sectoral expertise. The expanded membership underscores India’s ambition to deepen its global trade integration and achieve its export targets under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023.
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