India becomes chair of Asian Productivity Organization for 2025–26: Govt

India has formally assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the 2025–26 term during a meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, the commerce and industry ministry said Wednesday.

Tokyo-based APO is an intergovernmental body that promotes productivity enhancement across the Asia-Pacific region through mutual cooperation and capacity building. It has 21 members at present.

India, led by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) emphasised the importance of regional collaboration in driving digital transformation, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship at the Governing Body Meeting of the APO, being held from May 20–22 in Jakarta, the ministry said in a statement.

“Each year, over 100 Indian professionals participate in APO-led capacity-building initiatives through the National Productivity Council (NPC) under DPIIT,” the ministry said.

As per the statement, these programmes contribute “significantly to productivity improvements in India’s industrial, services, and agricultural sectors”.

Several demonstration projects, including those focused on Green Productivity and Industry 4.0 applications for MSMEs, have also been implemented across the country.

The Governing Body is the APO’s highest decision-making authority and meets annually to set the organization’s strategic direction, approve major proposals, and review Secretariat performance.