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Rajesh Agrawal assumes charge as Commerce Secretary

Agrawal is taking charge at a time when the Trump tariffs have disrupted the global trade.

1 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Oct 1, 2025 07:40 PM IST

Prior to his current assignment, Agarwal was overseeing India's trade negotiations with various countries under free trade agreements. (Express File)

Chief negotiator for the US trade deal, Rajesh Agrawal, IAS (1994 batch), on Wednesday assumed charge as Commerce Secretary, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

“Agrawal is an accomplished administrator with three decades of experience in governance, policymaking and implementation across diverse sectors, including skilling, human resource development, apprenticeship, power, fertilisers, agriculture, and MSMEs. He has been instrumental in shaping the country’s skill development policies, represented India at the WorldSkills Governing Council for three years, and steered sectoral reforms in states such as Manipur, Jharkhand, and Bihar,” the ministry said.

Prior to his current assignment, Agrawal was overseeing India’s trade negotiations with various countries under free trade agreements.

He was the chief negotiator for the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the India-Australia CECA, and the review of the ASEAN FTA. He was also in charge of export promotion for agriculture and allied sectors, the ministry said.

Ravi Dutta Mishra

Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, specializing in economic policy and financial regulations. With over five years of experience in business journalism, he provides critical coverage of the frameworks that govern India's commercial landscape. Expertise & Focus Areas: Mishra’s reporting concentrates on the intersection of government policy and market operations. His core beats include: Trade & Commerce: Analysis of India's import-export trends, trade agreements, and commercial policies. Banking & Finance: Covering regulatory changes and policy decisions affecting the banking sector. Professional Experience: Prior to joining The Indian Express, Mishra built a robust portfolio working with some of India's leading financial news organizations. His background includes tenures at: Mint CNBC-TV18 This diverse experience across both print and broadcast media has equipped him with a holistic understanding of financial storytelling and news cycles. Find all stories by Ravi Dutta Mishra here ... Read More

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