Rajesh Agarwal Appointed As Commerce Secretary
Prior to his current assignment, Agrawal was overseeing India’s trade negotiations with various countries under free trade agreements, Indo-Pacific Economic Forum, India-Australia CECA, and review of the ASEAN FTA
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer Rajesh Agrawal as secretary, department of commerce. Agrawal succeeded Sunil Barthwal, who retired on September 30, according to an official statement.
Agrawal, who took charge at a time when the US tariffs have disrupted global trade, is an accomplished administrator with three decades of experience in governance, policy-making and implementation across diverse sectors, including skilling, power, fertiliser, agriculture, and MSMEs. He was also the chief negotiator for the India-US bilateral trade agreement, even after the US President imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods.
Prior to his current assignment, Agrawal was overseeing India’s trade negotiations with various countries under free trade agreements, Indo-Pacific Economic Forum, India-Australia CECA, and review of the ASEAN FTA. Besides, he was also in charge of export promotion for the agriculture and allied sectors.