Piyush Goyal to inaugurate Asian Productivity Organization meeting in Delhi; member nations to discuss Vision 2030, budget & reforms
New Delhi, May 20
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the 68th Governing Body meeting of the Asian Productivity Organization in New Delhi on May 21, where delegates from 20 member economies will discuss the organisation's Vision 2030 roadmap, budget proposals and institutional reforms.
According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the three-day meeting is being hosted by the Government of India from May 20 to 22 at Bharat Mandapam, as India currently holds the chairmanship of the APO Governing Body.
More than 60 senior delegates from member economies are participating in the session. Representatives from diplomatic missions, APO advisers and observers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bhutan and the Global Green Growth Institute are also expected to attend.
The meeting will deliberate on key issues including the APO Vision 2030 framework, preliminary budget for the 2027-28 biennium and review of election procedures for the Secretary-General.
The agenda also includes election of the APO Chair and Vice Chairs for 2026-27, adoption of the annual and financial report, institutional reforms and review of the APO Secretariat's performance.
During the inaugural session, awards will be presented under the APO National Awards Programme in recognition of productivity advocates and technical experts from member economies.
India assumed the APO chairmanship during the 67th Governing Body meeting held in May 2025, when Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, took over as chair and announced India's decision to host this year's session.
Established in 1961, the Asian Productivity Organization is an intergovernmental body comprising 21 economies from the Asia-Pacific region and works to promote productivity-led economic growth through cooperation, policy dialogue and knowledge sharing.
The event will also provide a platform for bilateral and multilateral engagements among member economies to strengthen regional cooperation in productivity, innovation and sustainable development.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Hope this isn't just another talk shop. We need concrete action on the ground - our manufacturing sector still lags behind East Asian countries in productivity. Let's hope the reforms proposed actually get implemented back home.
As someone who works in manufacturing, I can say productivity improvements are badly needed in our MSME sector. These international collaborations can help bring best practices. But we also need better infrastructure and skill development at home. No shortcuts! 🇮🇳
Interesting that Bhutan and Kazakhstan are observers - shows how India is becoming a hub for regional cooperation. The APO has been around since 1961, so it has credibility. Hope our chairmanship leads to some tangible outcomes for Indian businesses. 🤞
While these meetings are important, I wish more attention was paid to ground-level productivity in agriculture and small industries. Our farmers still use outdated methods. Vision 2030 sounds good but needs to reach the villages and small towns.
Bharat Mandapam is a great venue choice! This shows India's growing soft power. But I hope the budget discussions for APO include more support for developing economies like ours. Productivity shouldn't just be about efficiency - it should be about inclusive growth too. 😊
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.