New Delhi : The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances represents India as a Member State of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences since 1998. The International Institute of Administrative Sciences is a Federation of 31 Member Countries, 20 National Sections and 15 Academic Research Centres jointly collaborating for scientific research on public administration. Key member countries include – India, Japan, China, Germany, Italy, Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Qatar, Morocco, Indonesia etc. The IIAS maintains a close working relationship with the United Nations, and participates in the UN’s Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) and the UN Public Administration Network (UNPAN). While the IIAS is not a formally affiliated body of the UN, it actively engages with the UN’s work in public administration.
For 2025-2028 Presidency of IIAS, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi nominated the Indian candidacy of Secretary DARPG Shri V.Srinivas in November 2024. The hearings for the IIAS Presidency were held in February 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Four Nations namely India, South Africa, Austria and Bahrain submitted their nominations for the IIAS presidency for the period 2025-2028 and participated in the hearings before the Council of Administration of IIAS, which were held on the sidelines of the Annual IIAS Conference 2025. Following the hearings, the candidacy of India, South Africa and Austria was forwarded to the General Body of IIAS for the next round by the Council of Administration. South Africa withdrew its candidacy in May 2025. The election was held between India and Austria on June 3, 2025 in which 141 votes were polled, of which India registered 87 votes (61.7 percent of the vote), and Austria registered 54 votes (38.3 percent of the vote). India’s candidacy received wide spread support from across the membership.
The Indian Presidency of the IIAS will take forward the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister shri Narendra Modi for “Maximum Governance – Minimum Government” documenting the Next Generation Administrative Reforms with focus on digital empowerment of citizens and digital transformation of institutions. The Indian Presidency will seek to bridge the North – South Dividewith focus on unity and inclusivity.
This is first time in the 100 years history of IIAS that the election to the post of President was held by ballot process and it is the first time that India has secured the historic mandate for the Presidency of the IIAS.
The acceptance speech of the Secretary DARPG to the Council of Administration is attached.