INDIAN TRADE SERVICE (ITS)

The Indian Trade Service (ITS) was formed during 1979 with the cadre controlling authority of Director General Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry with a cadre size of 185 posts. The source of recruitment (in percentage) is 50% by direct recruitment and 50% by promotion and no lateral entries.

Service hierarchy:

Grade	Pay scales	Designation in field (commercial)	Designation in field (operational)	Any other designation
Junior time scale	8000-13500	Assistant director general of foreign trade	Assistant director general of foreign trade
Senior time scale	10000-15200	Deputy director general of foreign trade	Deputy director general of foreign trade	Deputy director (Export promotion)
Junior administrative grade	12000-16500	Joint director general of foreign trade	Joint director general of foreign trade	Joint Director (Export promotion)
Selection grade	14300-18300	Joint director general of foreign trade	Joint director general of foreign trade	Director (Export promotion)
Senior administrative grade	18400-500-22400	Additional director general of foreign trade	Additional director general of foreign trade
Higher administrative grade	No such grade in the Indian Trade Service

Brief write up on the service outlining the main functions etc. including areas where interaction and coordination with other services is essential:
The ITS was constituted in the year 1979 with the aim of providing specialized service for the work relating to export and import of the country. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has been statutorily mandated the task of advising the central government in the formulation of the Export and import policy and also responsible for carrying out that policy. The ITS plays a pivotal role carrying out this task. The service has also in recent times diversified into activities related to anti-dumping, world trade organisation (WTO) etc. As the role of the DGFT organisation has changed from that of a regulator to that of a facilitator, the role of the service has also changed. It now acts as a focal point for all export promotion activities. In this capacity it liaises very closely with the state governments as also with other government agencies and the exporting community.