With a view to creating an institutional mechanism for collection and dissemination of trade data and improving information services to the business  community  especially small and medium enterprises, the National Centre for Trade Information (NCTI) was set up in 1995 under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry pursuant  to a Cabinet decision.    NCTI a non profit joint venture  of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and National Informatics Centre (NIC)  is a Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of  India recognised Trade Point-India under the  Trade  Efficiency Programme of  United Nations  Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD). The Trade Point Programme of the UNCTAD has certified NCTI as an Operational  Trade Point in New Delhi.

Besides using technology for trade for collection, collation and dissemination of trade information, NCTI is involved in establishing linkages in India and Abroad,  facilitating training in the areas of trade, commerce and informatics besides continuously augmentating its information base and providing inputs  to the Government in strategic trade promotion.