India Skills Accelerator Roundtable Brings Government, Industry and Global Leaders Together to Close Skills Gaps

New Delhi, June 1, 2026: India’s skill development ecosystem received a major strategic push as the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, convened the High-Level Roundtable of the India Skills Accelerator in New Delhi. The event was held under the theme “From Insight to Action: Closing Skills Gaps for Growth” and focused on building a stronger roadmap to address emerging skills gaps, improve workforce readiness and strengthen India’s position as a global talent hub.

The roundtable brought together senior representatives from the government, industry, academia, international organisations and development partners. The discussions focused on priority interventions needed to align India’s skilling systems with fast-changing labour market requirements, especially in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, supply chains and the green economy.

High-Level Leadership and Participation

The roundtable was co-chaired by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India; Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India; Ms. Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson, Apollo HealthCo Limited; and Mr. Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv.

The co-chairs were joined by Mr. Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. The event also witnessed participation from a wide range of organisations representing India’s skilling, education, industry and workforce development ecosystem.

India Skills Accelerator: A Public-Private Platform for Future Skills

The India Skills Accelerator was announced in January 2026 after approval from the Union Cabinet. Hosted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the initiative is part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Accelerators Network.

The platform aims to promote public-private collaboration and support the development of skill systems that are better aligned with industry demand. It seeks to strengthen workforce readiness, support innovative skills financing models and accelerate India’s preparedness for the future of work.

With technology and industry needs changing rapidly, the India Skills Accelerator is expected to play a key role in connecting government policy, industry expectations and education outcomes.

Focus on Emerging Skills and Labour Market Needs

The discussions at the roundtable focused on identifying the key forces shaping India’s labour market and validating priority actions to bridge critical skills gaps. Stakeholders discussed how India can build a workforce that is agile, future-ready and globally competitive.

Emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, supply chains and the green economy were highlighted as priority areas. These sectors are expected to create new employment opportunities but will also require updated training models, stronger industry participation and continuous reskilling.

The roundtable also focused on workforce transformation, skills financing, inclusive growth and technology-led skilling solutions.

Building India as a Global Talent Hub

Speaking at the event, Shri Jayant Chaudhary highlighted that India’s demographic strength can become a major global growth engine if skills are continuously aligned with the evolving needs of technology, industry and society. He said the India Skills Accelerator represents a new model of collaboration where government, industry, academia and global institutions work together to co-create solutions.

Dr. Sukanta Majumdar underlined the importance of integrating education with employability. He said institutions must equip learners not only with knowledge but also with relevant skills, adaptability and a lifelong learning mindset.

The World Economic Forum also emphasised India’s strong position in shaping the future global workforce, while noting that strong collaboration between government, industry and education stakeholders will be essential to ensure that skill systems keep pace with economic and technological change.

Participation from Industry and Institutions

The roundtable included participation from major industry and institutional stakeholders such as Apollo Hospitals, Bajaj Finserv, JSW Group, Mahindra Group, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Reliance Foundation, ReNew, IBM, Bharat Seats Ltd. and Reliance Industries Limited.

Key organisations such as the World Economic Forum, Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, Observer Research Foundation, IIT Delhi–FITT, AICTE, UGC, CBSE, Ministry of Education, Ministry of External Affairs, NCVET, NSDC and MSDE also participated in the discussions.

The presence of such diverse stakeholders reflects the growing importance of coordinated action in skilling, reskilling and workforce planning.

Roadmap for Workforce Transformation

The roundtable concluded with a shared commitment from stakeholders to advance priority actions through structured public-private collaboration. The outcomes of the deliberations will inform the implementation roadmap of the India Skills Accelerator.

The platform is expected to support India’s efforts to build an inclusive, resilient and future-ready economy while improving its competitiveness in the global labour market.

As India moves toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the India Skills Accelerator can become an important mechanism to connect policy, education, industry and employment outcomes. Its success will depend on sustained collaboration, industry-led demand mapping, quality training delivery and measurable employment-linked outcomes.

Why This Matters

India has one of the world’s largest young workforces, but the future of employment will depend on how effectively the country can bridge skills gaps and prepare workers for new-age sectors. The India Skills Accelerator aims to provide a collaborative framework for this transition.

For learners, training providers, employers and policymakers, the initiative signals a stronger focus on demand-driven skilling, industry participation and global workforce readiness.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and World Economic Forum convened the India Skills Accelerator High-Level Roundtable in New Delhi to address skills gaps, workforce readiness and future employment opportunities.

India Skills Accelerator, Skill Development India, MSDE, World Economic Forum, Future of Work, Workforce Development, Skill India, Vocational Training, Global Talent Hub, Emerging Skills

Government, industry and global leaders participate in the India Skills Accelerator High-Level Roundtable in New Delhi to discuss future skills, workforce readiness and India’s global talent potential.

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.