The commerce ministry has established a Central Processing Department (CPD) within the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to implement a faceless trade facilitation system. According to an office memorandum from the DGFT, the CPD will serve as a central unit for processing trade-related applications and will be located at the central licensing area in Delhi. The system is proposed to be dedicated to the nation during the second fortnight of October 2026.
As reported by the DGFT office memorandum, 53 DGFT officers from Delhi and regional centres have been posted or transferred to the department to support the new system. This includes five joint DGFTs, 10 Deputy DGFTs, and seven assistant DGFTs. The deployment reflects the ministry's commitment to ensuring adequate staffing for the new centralized processing unit.
The faceless trade facilitation system represents a key government initiative aimed at enabling faceless, paperless and jurisdiction-free processing of trade-related applications. According to the ministry's announcement, the system is designed to help reduce processing time, enhance transparency and improve ease of doing business for exporters and importers. This digital transformation is expected to streamline trade procedures and reduce bureaucratic delays in the export-import process.
The faceless trade facilitation system is scheduled to be dedicated to the nation during the second fortnight of October 2026, as confirmed by the DGFT office memorandum. This timeline provides stakeholders with a clear implementation roadmap for the new centralized processing system that will handle trade-related applications from across the country.
