Senior IAS officer Amardeep Singh Bhatia has officially taken over as the Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), according to an official statement released on Wednesday. Bhatia, a 1993 batch IAS officer from the Nagaland cadre, succeeds Rajesh Kumar Singh, who has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Defence.
Before this appointment, Bhatia served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, where he was actively involved in shaping trade policies and negotiating free trade agreements. His extensive experience in the central government includes key roles in the Ministries of Corporate Affairs and Health and Family Welfare.
In the state government, Bhatia has held several significant positions, including leading the Departments of Planning and Coordination, Health and Family Welfare, Environment and Forest, Municipalities and Local Self Government, and Home, among others.
DPIIT, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is responsible for managing the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) policy, promoting startups, enhancing ease of doing business, and fostering the fast-growing e-commerce sector. Bhatia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the country’s FDI witnessed a decline of 3.49 percent to $44.42 billion in 2023-24, attributed to global uncertainties.
The department is currently focusing on further simplifying FDI procedures to attract more overseas investments and strengthen the country’s economic landscape.
In taking on his new role, Bhatia brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record of handling diverse portfolios, both at the state and central levels, positioning him to lead DPIIT in achieving its strategic objectives.