AK Bhalla Takes Over from Anup Wadhawan

Another Change of Rider in DGFT Saddle

DGFT (Director General of Foreign Trade) post has become sensitive as incumbents are shifted or shift themselves. After Anup Pujari left in early 2014, Provir Kumar took over but was on the post for hardly 18 months. His successor Anup Wadhawan lasted for only 13 months before moving on to the parent Department of Commerce. A.K. Bhalla is the third officer in the post responsible in the last 32 months.

Dr Anup Wadhawan IAS (UK 1985) has moved to Department of Commerce where he hopes to see better career prospects in trade diplomacy. Ajay Kumar Bhalla IAS (Assam 1984) was Additional Secretary, Deportment of Commerce handling anti-dumping cases as Designated Authority.

Before this, he was in Ministry of Coal, Steel & Mines, and Ports besides various posts in Assam Government. He holds Masters Degree in Botany from University of Delhi, M. Phil (Social Sciences) from University of Punjab & MBA from University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

The trade hopes that he will instil dynamism and problem solving approach in DGFT. He has many challenges, the major one being reframing trade policy in GST environment. He will have at least a year in DGFT before moving on to Secretary level posts in other ministries.