Ambassador/PR Ambassador/PR

Ambassador/PR

Ambassador/Permanent Representative

Brajendra Navnit

Ambassador & Permanent Representative of India
to the World Trade Organisation
Geneva, Switzerland

Brajendra Navnit is a graduate engineer from MNIT Jaipur who joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the year 1999. He belongs to the Tamil Nadu Cadre. His areas of interest are Economy and Public Finance. He has worked for more than twelve years in either economic ministries or handling related subjects in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Navnit has had the opportunity to take up several leadership roles at the district and state levels in Tamil Nadu and has also served the Government of India at New Delhi. During his tenure with the Government of India, he worked in the Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs as Deputy Secretary (Budget), Director in the Prime Minister’s Office and Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister.

As Deputy Secretary (Budget), both at New Delhi and Chennai, he was responsible for the preparation of the Annual Budget and Debt and Cash management of the Central and State Governments. Navnit designed one of the first Medium Term Fiscal Plans (MTFP) of a State government in the country. He was also actively involved in the drafting of one of the first fiscal responsibility legislations for any State Government in India.

In the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Navnit authored the first edition of the Government Debt Paper. This Debt Paper helped India in effectively communicating the consolidated General Government Debt  of the Federal and State Governments to multilateral organizations and sovereign credit rating agencies. The paper has since been published annually and contributes towards greater transparency.

In his last assignment as Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister, Navnit looked after economic ministries including Finance and Commerce. During this assignment, he made active contributions towards the reforms undertaken in the direct and indirect taxation system, including the design and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was also involved in the enactment of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. In the short period of time that he looked after subjects relating to the Health Ministry in the Prime Minister's Office, Navnit contributed towards the design and implementation of one of the world’s largest health insurance schemes that covers more than 500 million people in India.

Navnit’s experience in subjects related to trade and commerce includes his work on the review of India’s various Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs). His analysis of India’s potential in trade, helped identify and further develop sectors wherein India enjoys competitive advantage. He also provided inputs on various trade negotiations and WTO related matters.

Brajendra Navnit assumed charge as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the WTO, Geneva on 29th June, 2020.

 

Tele: +41 - 22 - 738 4468; email: amb-indiawto[at]nic[dot]in