New Delhi, May 23: The 68th Session of the Governing Body Meeting of the Asian productivity organization concluded successfully in New Delhi after three days of strategic discussions, policy deliberations and high level engagements held from May 20 to 22 at Bharat Mandapam.
The meeting was hosted by the national productivity counsil under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The event witnessed participation from heads of National Productivity Organisations, senior government officials, policymakers, productivity experts and delegates from member economies of the Asian Productivity Organisation.
The three day programme began on May 20 with preparatory and closed-door meetings, followed by networking sessions and cultural engagements aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and collaboration among member countries.
During the plenary sessions held on May 21 and 22, delegates discussed key agenda items related to the future direction and governance of the Asian Productivity Organisation. The discussions included adoption of the Annual Report of the Secretary-General, the Financial Report for 2025, appointment of auditors for 2026, recommendations of the APO Vision 2030 Steering Committee, the preliminary budget for 2027–28, governance reforms, regional productivity initiatives and measures to strengthen institutional performance and compliance.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush goyal attended the inaugural session as Guest of Honour. In his address, he highlighted India’s productivity-led economic growth, digital public infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics reforms, empowerment of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, sustainability initiatives and the importance of regional cooperation.
The meeting also marked significant leadership transitions within the organisation. APO Director for Indonesia Professor anwar Sanusi assumed charge as APO Chair for 2026/27, succeeding India’s APO Director and Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Amardeep singh Bhatia. The Acting APO Directors for Iran and Japan took over as the First and Second Vice Chairs respectively.
One of the major highlights of the event was the presentation of APO Awards for Productivity Advocates, Technical Experts and National Productivity Council Special Recognition Awards. The honours recognised outstanding contributions towards productivity enhancement and organisational excellence across member economies.
The APO Accreditation Body also presented an accreditation certificate to the National Productivity Organisation Certification Body of Cambodia. The Accreditation Body was established to assess and accredit certification bodies for productivity specialists among member economies. So far, 13 APO member economies, including India, have received certification.
During the meeting member economies reaffirmed their collective commitment towards achieving the objectives of APO Vision 2030. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in areas such as digital transformation, sustainable development, innovation, capacity building and productivity-led growth.
The closing session on May 22 began with remarks by the APO Chair, followed by observations from India’s Alternate Director neerja sekhar. It was also announced that the 69th Governing Body Meeting will be hosted in Lao PDR in 2027, while the 67th Workshop Summit Meeting of Heads of APO Economies will take place in Sri Lanka in 2027.
Under “Any Other Business,” the Asian Productivity Organisation informed member economies about the GAIA (Genuine AI Action) initiative under Vision 2030, which aims to promote Artificial Intelligence-driven productivity enhancement and modernisation of training systems.
Delegates later visited several heritage sites in Delhi, including the National Museum Humayuns tomb, India Gate Central Vista and “The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One” exhibition at Rai Pithora Cultural Complex. The exhibition showcased sacred relics of Lord Buddha along with sculptures, manuscripts and artefacts reflecting India’s Buddhist heritage.
The successful hosting of the 68th Governing Body Meeting reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing productivity, strengthening regional cooperation and promoting sustainable socio-economic development across the Asia-Pacific region.
