Top bureaucrats in India are under intense pressure to implement significant export-related reforms following the recent Board of Trade (BoT) meeting chaired by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The meeting, extended till 7 pm, involved senior officials from ministries and export bodies, focusing on strategies to counteract the adverse effects of 50% US tariffs on Indian exports. The government expects states and union territories to ramp up outreach for exporters, conduct infrastructure gap analyses, and bolster district-level export initiatives while training MSMEs for new export markets. These expectations require bureaucrats to oversee multifaceted coordination and execution on the ground.High stakes reforms include boosting cross-border e-commerce exports with dedicated zones, enhancing testing and certification processes for export-import commodities, and adopting digital-first governance for export compliance. Such wide-ranging reforms demand swift bureaucratic action amid rising global trade uncertainties. Consequently, a major bureaucratic reshuffle is underway, reallocating senior IAS officers across key ministries related to telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and logistics, aiming to place the most capable administrators in pivotal trade and export roles to drive these reforms effectively. This reshuffle and reform push reflect the government’s urgency in navigating challenging global tariffs, improving export infrastructure, and operationalising export promotion missions crucial for India’s trade resilience and growth in 2025-26.