The Board of  Trade on May 5, 1989 Department of Commerce with a view  to provide an effective mechnism to maintain continuous dialogue with Trade and Industry in respect of major development in the field of International Trade. The Board of Trade has been reconstituted on 05.02.1999. The Commerce and Industry Minister is Chairman of the Board of Trade. The official membership includes Secretaries of the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Finance (Revenue), External Affairs(ER), Textile; Chairman of ITPO, Chairman/MD of ECGC, MD, Exim Banks and Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India. The non official members are President of FICCI; ASSOCHAM, CII, FIEO, All India Handloom Farmers Marketing Co-operative Society, representatives of various Trade and Industry sectors, media and other eminent personalities in the field of Export and Import Trade.

The broad Terms of reference of the Board of Trade are as follows :

(i) To advise the Government on policy measures for preparation and implementation of both short and long term plans for increasing exports in the light of emerging national and international economic scenario.
(ii) To review export performance of various sectors, identify constraints and suggest measures to be taken both by Government and industry/ trade consistent with the need to maximise export earnings and restrict imports.
(iii) To examine the existing institutional framework for exports and suggest practical measures for re-organisation/ streamlining it with a view to ensure co-ordinated and timely decision making.
(iv) To review the policy instrument, package of incentives and procedures for exports and suggest steps to rationalise and channel incentives to areas where they are most needed.

There is an Export Promotion Board under the Chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary to provide policy and infrastructural support through greater coordination among concerned Ministries for boosting the growth of exports. All Ministries directly connected with facilitating foreign trade are represented by their Secretaries. This, however, includes Secretary, Department of Commerce, Secretary, Ministry of Finance; Secretary, Department of Revenue; Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion; Secretary Ministry of Textile; Secretary; Department of Agriculture & Cooperation; Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Secretary, Ministry of Surface Transport and others according to requirements of Inter-Ministerial coordination and to give the required impetus to the export sector as truly national priority activity.