Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that productivity today goes beyond efficiency and must encompass resilience, innovation and inclusive growth. He made the remarks at the 68th Session of the Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
The three-day meeting has brought together senior government officials, policymakers, productivity experts and heads of National Productivity Organizations (NPOs) from APO member economies to deliberate on productivity enhancement and sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region.
Delivering the inaugural address, Goyal said India was honoured to serve as the outgoing Chair of the APO Governing Body during a transformative period marked by rapid technological changes, sustainability challenges and evolving global economic dynamics.
“Productivity today means resilience, innovation and inclusive growth,” the Minister said while highlighting India’s reforms under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He cited initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, Skill India, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the National Logistics Policy, UPI, Aadhaar and ONDC as examples of productivity-driven transformation aimed at strengthening economic competitiveness and sustainable development.
The inaugural session began with the welcome of delegates by NPC India Director General Neerja Sekhar, who highlighted the National Productivity Council’s focus on digital transformation, green productivity and capability building for MSMEs.
Opening remarks were delivered by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia, who said APO Vision 2030 and strategic reforms would strengthen institutional cooperation, governance and outcomes-based development among member economies.
A major highlight of the event was the APO National Award Conferment Ceremony, where productivity champions and technical experts were honoured for their contribution towards innovation and sustainable growth.
The APO National Award for Productivity Advocates was conferred on Ashok Panjwani, Director, BEIL Infrastructure Limited, while the APO National Award for Productivity Technical Expert was presented to Bakul Limbasiya, Founder Director, Bhathwari Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
NPC Special Recognition Awards were also presented to Vidushi Mittal, Director, Kalaaai Studio; Anshul Malhotra, Traditional Textile Conservator & Handloom Textile Designer, Krishna Wool; and Akhand Pratap Singh, Founder & CEO, Vymanik Aerospace Technologies Pvt. Ltd., for their contributions in design, textile conservation and aerospace innovation.
The event also witnessed key leadership transitions within the APO. Prof. Anwar Sanusi assumed the role of APO Chair for 2026–27, succeeding India’s APO Director Amardeep Singh Bhatia. Representatives from Iran and Japan took over as First and Second Vice Chairs respectively.
During the plenary session, delegates discussed governance reforms, financial reporting standards, participation of non-member countries and implementation of APO Vision 2030 initiatives.
Hosted by the National Productivity Council under DPIIT, the meeting will conclude on May 22.
Established in 1961, APO currently comprises 21 member economies and works towards improving productivity for sustainable socioeconomic development across the Asia-Pacific region.
