A high-level Indian cooperative delegation, led by Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav and Dileep Sanghani, has departed for Manchester to participate in the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) Board meeting and Extraordinary General Assembly on 2 July 2025.
The event kicks off a four-day global “Festival of Co-operatives,” commemorating both the ICA’s 130th anniversary and the United Nations-declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025.
Hosted by The Co-operative Group and Co-operatives UK, the gathering returns to the birthplace of the modern cooperative movement, with surrounding events including sectoral meetings, the UK Co-op Congress (4–5 July), and visits to historic sites like Rochdale’s Pioneers Museum.
The ICA Board meeting will begin on the morning of 2 July to finalize motions, governance amendments, and budget proposals for the General Assembly later that day. A welcome dinner for Board members will take place the evening before at One Angel Square, the Co-op Group’s headquarters.
During the Assembly, delegates will approve past minutes, adopt financial statements and the 2025 budget, receive leadership reports, confirm new directors, and vote on critical changes to the ICA’s Articles of Association and Internal Rules. They will also decide the host country for the 2026 Assembly. ICA President Ariel Guarco of Argentina and Director-General Jeroen Douglas will preside over the proceedings.
India’s growing leadership in the global cooperative movement is evident through key representatives. Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, ICA Vice-President and head of KRIBHCO and NCUI, brings decades of experience in agricultural and credit cooperatives.
Aditya Yadav, an IFFCO board member and the youngest-ever At-large Director on the ICA Board, represents youth leadership. Bhima Subrahmanyam, head of the International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA), will also chair the ICBA General Assembly on 3 July.
Other confirmed directors span diverse cooperative sectors including housing, insurance, fisheries, and consumer affairs, with regional vice-presidents from all continents ensuring comprehensive global participation.
Thematic committee sessions on gender equality, youth, education, and the G20 Working Group are set for 3 July, offering a platform for broader discussions. Delegates are encouraged to secure travel authorizations and will receive cooperative-branded vouchers for local hospitality.
With crucial decisions on statutes, budgets, and a new strategic plan to guide the ICA through 2030, the Manchester meetings are poised to shape the future of the cooperative movement worldwide while underlining India’s influential role on the global stage.
