KKR India advisor, TCS CEO among 29 members inducted in Board of Trade

The government has nominated 29 non-official members from large and small enterprises and different sectors in the Board of Trade, which is a top advisory body on external trade. The inductees include chief executive officer of Tata Consultancy Services Rajesh Gopinathan, and KKR India Advisor Sanjay Nayyar.

The Board, chaired by commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, advises the government on policy measures to improve the country's foreign trade.

Other non-official members include Pasha Patel, former member of Maharashtra Legislative Council, Pankaj Mahindroo, Chairman India Cellular and Electronics Association, Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Laghu Udyog Bharati Executive Member Om Prakash Mittal,  GCMMF (Amul) Managing Director RS Sodhi, among others, according to notification issued by the Centre.

The official members will include secretaries of department of revenue, department of commerce, ministry of health, agriculture, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and chairman Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), among others.

The government had in 2019 merged the Council of Trade Development and Promotion with the Board of Trade to bring greater coherence in the consultation process with all stakeholders for promoting exports and imports, according to an official notification.

The terms of reference for the non-official members of the Board of Trade includes providing a platform to states and union territories to articulate state oriented perspectives on trade policy, act as a facilitators in implementation of District Export Hub events including sensitization workshops, identification and promotion of identified products.

They would also help states to develop and pursue export strategies in line with the national foreign trade policy, facilitate a mechanism for discussion on operationalisation of the trade infrastructure, review procedure for imports and exports and suggest steps to rationalise use and advise the government of policy measures for preparation of shirt and long term measures to increase exports, the notification said.