APO Governing Body Concludes 68th Session in New Delhi

The Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) concluded the 68th session of its Governing Body Meeting in New Delhi after three days of deliberations at Bharat Mandapam. The meeting was hosted by the National Productivity Council (NPC) under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and brought together heads of national productivity organisations, senior officials, policymakers and technical delegates from member economies. The programme opened with preparatory and closed-door meetings and included networking and cultural engagements to strengthen regional cooperation.

Plenary sessions considered the Secretary-General's Annual Report and the Financial Report for the year 2025 and approved the appointment of auditors for 2026. Delegates examined recommendations of the APO Vision 2030 Steering Committee, the preliminary budget for the 2027–28 biennium, governance reforms and progress on regional productivity initiatives. Institutional performance and compliance measures were reviewed as part of broader efforts to enhance accountability and effectiveness.

Leadership transitions saw the APO Director for Indonesia assume the chair for 2026–27, with acting directors for Iran and Japan becoming first and second vice chairs respectively. Awards for productivity advocates, technical experts and NPC special recognition awards were presented to acknowledge contributions to productivity enhancement and organisational excellence. The APO Accreditation Body presented a certification to the National Productivity Organisation Certification Body of Cambodia, bringing to 13 the number of member economies with accreditation.

Member economies reaffirmed commitment to APO Vision 2030 priorities including digital transformation, sustainable development, innovation, capacity building and productivity-led growth. The meeting adopted the Summary Record of Proceedings for the first two days and noted 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. Delegates also visited heritage sites in Delhi and attended an exposition of Buddhist relics, and the event was said to reaffirm India’s commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable socio-economic development.