[2][3] The Central Government appoints any person to be the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Normally a member of the Indian Administrative Service having rendered 30 or more years is appointed to the post of the Director-General of Foreign Trade.

The Director-General heads an attached office under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India.

At present, the Director-General formulates Foreign Trade Policy and Hand Book of Procedures of Foreign Trade Policy and ITC (HS) Classifications of Import and Export Items.

While the Regional Offices at Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai are Zonal Offices which are headed by Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, the remaining Regional Offices are headed by Joint Director General, Deputy Director General and Assistant Director-General.