Context:

• India hosted the 68th Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of the Asian Productivity Organization at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

Key Highlights:

• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
• Nodal Agency/Host: National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Chief Guest: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the inaugural session.
• Participation: More than 60 senior delegates from 20 APO member countries participated. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bhutan, and the Global Green Growth Institute attended as observers.
• Main Agenda: Review of the APO Vision 2030 Framework, discussion on the 2027–28 biennial budget plan, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

Leadership Changes:

• Outgoing Chairman: Amardeep Singh Bhatia (India), Secretary, DPIIT, served as Chairman for 2025–26.
• New Chairman (2026–27): Prof. Anwar Sanusi (Indonesia) assumed charge as the new APO Chairman.
• Vice Chairpersons: Representative of Iran appointed as First Vice Chairperson and representative of Japan as Second Vice Chairperson.

Asian Productivity Organization (APO):

• Established: 1961 as a non-political, non-profit, intergovernmental organization.
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Membership: Currently 21 member economies.
• Member Countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Republic of China (Taiwan), Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Türkiye, and Vietnam.
• India’s Role: India is a founding member of APO.

Major Awards and Initiatives:

• APO National Awards: Ashok Panjwani (Productivity Advocate) and Bakul Limbasia were honoured for excellence in productivity and innovation.
• NPC Special Recognition Awards: Presented to Vidushi Mittal (Design), Anshul Malhotra (Textile Conservation), and Akhand Pratap Singh (Aerospace Innovation).
• GAIA (Genuine AI Action): Initiative launched under Vision 2030 to enhance AI-driven productivity and modernize training systems.
• APO-AB Certification: Cambodia’s National Productivity Organization received recognition as a certification body for productivity specialists.

National Productivity Council (NPC):

• Nature: Autonomous organization under DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Established: 1958
• Administrative Control: Functions under DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Objective: To promote productivity awareness, strengthen the microeconomic foundation of development, function as a government think tank, provide consultancy and training services, and improve productivity across sectors.

68th APO Governing Body Meeting:

• Event: 68th Governing Body Meeting (GBM)
• Date: 20–22 May 2026
• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India
• Nodal Agency: National Productivity Council (NPC), DPIIT
• Outgoing Chairman: Amardeep Singh Bhatia (India)
• New Chairman: Prof. Anwar Sanusi (Indonesia)
• Next Host (2027): Lao PDR

Asian Productivity Organization (APO) – Quick Facts:

• Founded: 13 May 1961
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Total Members: 21 countries (India is a founding member)
• Vision: Review of APO Vision 2030 Framework
• New Initiative: GAIA (Genuine AI Action) for AI-driven productivity enhancement
• Awards: Ashok Panjwani and Bakul Limbasia received APO National Awards.