THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
NEW
DELHI, MARCH 12, 2026
In a significant step
towards expanding international employment avenues for Indian youth, the
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India,
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the GATI Foundation, a
project under the SFI Impact Foundation. The partnership aims to strengthen
institutional mechanisms that support overseas employment and enhance global
mobility for India’s skilled workforce.
The agreement
establishes a strategic framework for collaboration between the two
organisations to advance India’s position as a global hub of skilled talent
while enabling young Indians to access international job opportunities in a
structured and sustainable manner.
Under the MoU, both
sides will jointly develop a comprehensive and data-driven roadmap to promote
overseas skilling and workforce mobility. The collaboration will focus on
identifying high-demand job roles across international markets, priority
destination countries, and sectoral opportunities where skilled Indian workers
can contribute significantly.
Speaking on the
occasion, Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, Govt of India, said: “India’s demographic dividend can
translate into global economic strength only when our workforce is equipped
with skills that meet international standards. This partnership with the GATI
Foundation is an important step towards building a structured ecosystem for
global skill mobility. By strengthening institutional capacity, identifying
emerging opportunities across international labour markets, and preparing our
youth with the right skills, language capabilities and cultural readiness, we
are enabling Indian talent to participate confidently in the global workforce.”
Arnab Bhattacharya,
Chief Executive Officer, GATI Foundation, said, “This MoU represents an
important step toward building a more unified national approach to global
skills mobility. By working closely with MSDE, the aim is to strengthen
coordination between the Centre and States and create a more cohesive framework
that aligns skilling efforts, messaging, and implementation across India’s
workforce ecosystem. Together, the hope is to accelerate India’s journey toward
becoming the global skills capital of the world by 2047.”
As part of the
partnership, the GATI Foundation will establish a Project Management Unit (PMU)
at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi to provide technical and strategic support to the
Ministry in designing and implementing initiatives related to global skill
mobility. The PMU will assist in areas such as research, monitoring frameworks,
international partnerships, and strengthening the ecosystem required to prepare
a workforce ready for global mobility.
The collaboration
will also support the development and operationalisation of Skill India
International Centres (SIICs), strengthen partnerships with training
institutions including Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics,
and facilitate engagement with global employers to enhance international
placement opportunities for skilled Indian youth.
MSDE will play a key
role in facilitating inter-ministerial coordination with stakeholders such as
the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and
international organisations to align policies and initiatives related to
overseas employment. The Ministry will also support foreign language training,
cultural orientation programmes, and documentation processes required for
international placements.
The MoU will remain in effect for an initial period of three years and will operate on a collaborative basis without any financial transactions between the two parties, with each organisation bearing its own operational expenses.
The partnership aligns with the Government of India’s broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which emphasises the importance of skilled human capital in driving economic growth, innovation, and international collaboration. Through initiatives such as global skill mobility partnerships and the expansion of Skill India International Centres, MSDE continues to strengthen pathways for Indian youth to access quality employment opportunities both within the country and across global markets.
