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). The notification has been issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, and is to be published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-Section (ii).
The new nomination supersedes Notification No. 21/2015-2020 dated 8th 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.
Background — Board of Trade (BOT):
The Board of Trade (BOT) was constituted by merging the Council for Trade Development and Promotion with the erstwhile Board of Trade vide Notification No. 11/2015-20 dated 17th July, 2019. Official Members and Ex-officio Members of the BOT were nominated through the same notification. The BOT serves as the apex consultative body between the Government and the trade and industry sector for formulation and implementation of India’s Foreign Trade Policy.
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:
- Sunita Ramnathkar, President, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Shri Satish Goel, President, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA)
- Shri Vikrampati Singhania, President, Automobile Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA)
- Shri K. M. Subramanian, President, Tiruppur Exporters’ Association
- Shri Sanjay Nayyar, Founder, Sorin Investments
- Shri C. S. Setty, Chairman, SBI
- Shri Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel
- Shri Virat Bhatia, MD, Apple India
- Shri Pankaj Mahindroo, Chairman, India Cellular & Electronics Association
- Shri Jasbir Singh, CEO, Amber Industries
- Shri Puran Dawar, Chairman and Founder, Dawar Group
- Shri Naren Goenka, Owner (Chairman Bharat Tex), Texport Industries
- Shri Jayen Mehta, Chairman, GCMMF
- Shri Shashi Kiran, Founder & Executive Chairman, Allcargo Group
- Shri Vaibhav Vohra, Group MD, Continental Carriers
- Shri Anish Shah, MD, Mahindra & Mahindra
- Shri Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel
- Shri Sandeep Somany, Chairman and MD, Somany Impressa Group
- Shri Kushagra Srivastava, Co-Founder, Chakr Innovations
- Shri Shailesh Chandra, President SIAM and MD & CEO, Tata Motors
- Shri Laxmikumaran, Founder & Managing Partner, Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan
- Shri Haigreve Khaitan, Managing Partner, Khaitan & Co.
- Shri Arun Alagappan, Executive Chairman, Coromandel International Limited
- Shri Satish Reddy, Chairperson, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.
- Satyanarayana Chava, Executive Director and CEO, Laurus Labs
- Shri Kunal A. Nahar, Director, Rajgir Gems
- Shri Parth Jindal, MD, JSW Cements
- Shri Shridhar Vembu, Co-founder, Zoho Corporation
- Shri Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, CMD, Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW)
- Shri Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe
- Shri Pasha Patel, Former Member, Maharashtra Legislative Council
- Shri Nimish Ashok Save, President (North Konkan Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture) & MD, Venture Proficient Ltd.
- Shri Umesh Jain, Director, Sponge Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
- Shri Venkat Rao Nekkanti, Managing Director, Nekkanti Sea Foods
- Shri Rajiv Memani, Chairman and CEO, EY India
- Shri Jitendra Kathiriya, Director & MD, Bharat Buildcon & Creatofox Communication Pvt. Ltd.
- Upasana Arora, MD, Yashoda Group of Hospitals
- President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
- President, Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
- 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.
The Notification can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Notification-No.-18.pdf
