The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), has launched the India Skills Accelerator, a national platform aimed at bridging skill gaps and fostering a future-ready workforce. The announcement came during a high-level roundtable held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi. The Accelerator seeks to drive systemic change through cross-sectoral collaboration, enhancing awareness around emerging skill needs, fostering stakeholder cooperation, and reforming policy frameworks. The initiative will prioritize inclusive upskilling and reskilling, agile career transitions, and scalable training aligned with high-growth sectors like AI, robotics, and energy.
Co-chaired by Union Ministers Shri Jayant Chaudhary and Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, along with private leaders Ms. Shobana Kamineni and Mr. Sanjiv Bajaj, the Accelerator’s governance structure includes major public and private stakeholders. “India is poised to become the Skill Capital of the World,” said Shri Chaudhary, stressing the need for agile and inclusive skilling systems.
Dr. Sukanta Majumdar articulated India’s strategic opportunity to position itself as the global epicenter of next-generation talent. He underscored the need to embed competitiveness in India’s skills architecture—particularly in fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing—so that India is not only skilling for its domestic economy but for the world. The Accelerator, he added, will play a critical role in translating this global ambition into measurable outcomes. “Through the National Education Policy, we have initiated transformative changes—promoting flexibility, vocational pathways, and digital skilling. Our federal model of implementation, involving both Centre and States, can serve as a valuable learning for global platforms like the WEF as well,” he said. Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum (WEF), said, “In the face of rapid technological and labour market changes, India’s launch of the Skills Accelerator reflects a strong commitment to equipping its workforce with the skills needed for the future. By strengthening alignment across the skills ecosystem, this initiative will help close critical skills gaps, support the growth of India’s digital and innovation-driven economy, and enable more people to thrive in a rapidly evolving world of work. We are pleased to support this important step and look forward to the impact it will deliver at scale.”