Indian Trade Service
The Indian Trade Service (ITS) is a civil service under Group A of the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Government of India. It was created as a specialized cadre to handle India's international trade & commerce on the basis of the recommendations of the Mathur Committee (Study Team on the Import and Export Trade Control Organization headed by Sri H.C. Mathur, Member of Parliament) in 1965. At present Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under Ministry of Commerce, is the cadre controlling authority of the ITS. DGFT has 38 regional offices across India . The Department of commerce is headed by a Secretary who is assisted by a Special Secretary & Financial Adviser, three Additional Secretaries, thirteen Joint Secretaries and Joint Secretary level officers and a number of other senior officers. Keeping in view the large increase in workload in matters related to World Trade Organization (WTO), Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), free trade agreements (FTAs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs), joint study groups (JSGs) etc., two posts each of Joint Secretaries and Directors were created in the Department during 2008-09. The Department is functionally organized into the following nine Divisions: Recruitment. The recruitment to Indian  Trade Service is through Civil Services examinations conducted by UPSC. In addition, departmental candidates are also promoted as ITS through career progression. Role of Indian Trade Service. The main role of ITS officers can be divided into five parts: