Sri Rajesh Agrawal-New Secretary Department of Commerce

1. Appointment

• Rajesh Agrawal, IAS (1994 Batch) is now the Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.

2. Experience and Expertise

• He is a successful administrator with 30 years of experience.
• He has a broad expertise in sectors such as:
• Skilling & HR Development
• Apprenticeship
• Power, Fertilizer, Agriculture.
• MSMEs

3. Key Contributions

• Skill Development: Was instrumental in the formulation of the policies of skill development in India.
• International Representation: Represented India in the World Skills Governing Council over a three year period.
• State Reforms: Has guided drastic reforms in the states Manipur, Jharkhand and Bihar.

4. Experience in Trade Negotiations.

• Before this post, he was the lead in India in negotiation of trade under Free Trade Agreement (FTAs).
• He was the Chief Negotiator of a number of significant agreements, including:
  • India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.
  • Indo-Pacific Economic Forum
  • India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA)
  • ASEAN FTA review