Dr. Ajay Sahai is the Director General & CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the apex body of export promotion organizations in India (set up by the Ministry of Commerce). He is arguably the most influential voice for the Indian exporting community, acting as the primary interlocutor between industry stakeholders and the Government of India on matters of foreign trade policy, international logistics, and global market access.
Dr. Sahai has spent decades at the helm of India’s trade strategy, navigating the transition from a protected economy to a global export powerhouse. As DG & CEO of FIEO, he oversees an organisation that represents over 30,000 exporters across various sectors. He is a permanent member of the government’s pre-budget consultations and a key architect of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). He is frequently consulted by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Ministry of Finance, and the RBI on issues ranging from GST refunds for exporters to the internationalisation of the Indian Rupee. He represents Indian trade interests at international forums, including the WTO and various bilateral trade negotiations, ensuring that the concerns of Indian MSMEs are reflected in global trade rules.
In his recent columns for The Financial Express and The Economic Times, Dr. Sahai has focused on making Indian exports “recession-proof” and digitally agile.
