The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), on Monday convened the High-Level Roundtable of the India Skills Accelerator (ISA) in New Delhi to discuss measures for closing emerging skills gaps and strengthening India’s position as a global talent hub. Held under the theme “From Insight to Action: Closing Skills Gaps for Growth”, the roundtable brought together leaders from government, industry, academia, international organisations and development partners. The discussions focused on workforce readiness, skills financing, emerging technologies and aligning skilling systems with evolving labour market demands.
The India Skills Accelerator, announced in January 2026 after Union Cabinet approval, is hosted by MSDE and is part of the WEF’s Global Accelerators Network. The initiative aims to promote public-private collaboration and support workforce development in sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, supply chains and the green economy. The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Apollo HealthCo Executive Chairperson Shobana Kamineni and Bajaj Finserv Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Bajaj.
Jayant Chaudhary said India’s demographic strength could become a major global growth engine if skills remain aligned with changing industry and technology requirements. Dr. Majumdar stressed the need for stronger integration between education and employability to prepare youth for emerging opportunities. In Guwahati, the initiative is expected to benefit Assam and the Northeast by creating greater access to industry-relevant training and employment opportunities. Experts believe enhanced focus on future-ready skills, digital technologies and workforce development could help the region attract investments, improve employability and strengthen its contribution to India’s growing talent economy. The roundtable concluded with a commitment from stakeholders to advance priority actions through structured public-private collaboration. Representatives from leading organisations including Apollo Hospitals, Bajaj Finserv, JSW Group, Mahindra Group, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, IBM, Reliance Industries, CII, FICCI, AICTE, UGC and several government ministries participated in the deliberations.