Nodal officers designated to assist exporters provide ministerial contacts and channels for export facilitation and queries. Appendix 17 of the Foreign Trade Procedure (RE 2012) nominates specific nodal officers in central ministries and departments to assist exporters by providing named points of contact with office addresses, telephone/fax numbers and email addresses, and in select instances alternate officers to be contacted in absence of the primary nominee, thereby facilitating export-related queries, clearances and interdepartmental coordination.