Jakarta– India has officially taken over the chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the 2025–2026 term during the 67th Governing Body Meeting of the organization, currently underway in Jakarta, Indonesia, from May 20 to 22.
In its new leadership role, India reaffirmed its strong commitment to advancing APO Vision 2030 and enhancing the recently launched Green Productivity 2.0 framework. The Indian delegation emphasized the need for deeper regional collaboration to drive digital transformation, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship across the Asia-Pacific region.
India also pledged to support the development of inclusive, responsive, and results-oriented APO programs that address the region’s evolving productivity and development challenges.
The Indian delegation is led by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and APO Director for India. Under DPIIT, the National Productivity Council (NPC) coordinates India’s engagement with APO initiatives.
Each year, over 100 Indian professionals participate in APO-led capacity-building programs, contributing significantly to productivity growth in India’s industry, services, and agriculture sectors. India has also implemented a number of demonstration projects across the country, including initiatives focused on Green Productivity and Industry 4.0 applications for MSMEs.
The APO’s Governing Body is its highest decision-making authority, meeting annually to establish the organization’s strategic direction, approve key proposals, and evaluate the Secretariat’s performance. This year’s meeting is hosted by the Government of Indonesia.
Founded in 1961, the Asian Productivity Organization is a Tokyo-based intergovernmental body dedicated to enhancing productivity in the Asia-Pacific through mutual cooperation and capacity-building programs. The APO currently comprises 21 member economies, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Taiwan, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, among others.
As a founding member, India has played a key role in shaping the organization’s strategic vision and supporting its mission over the decades. (Source: IANS)
