New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship organized a high-level roundtable of the India Skills Accelerator in New Delhi today. The Ministry organized it in collaboration with the World Economic Forum under the theme:
Closing Skills Gaps for Growth
The India Skills Accelerator, announced in January 2026 following the approval of the Union Cabinet, is hosted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and forms part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Accelerators Network. The initiative seeks to foster public-private collaboration to align skilling systems with evolving labour market needs, develop innovative skills financing models and accelerate workforce readiness in emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, supply chains, and the green economy.
Co-chair: 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.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said that India’s demographic strength can become a major driver of global growth if skills are aligned with evolving industry demands. He emphasized the need for collaboration among government, industry, and academia to build a future-ready workforce.
He said “India’s demographic strength can become the world’s greatest growth engine if we are able to continuously align skills with the evolving demands of technology, industry and society. The India Skills Accelerator represents a new model of collaboration where government, industry, academia and global institutions come together not merely to discuss challenges, but to co-create solutions. As India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047, our focus must be on building agile, future-ready and globally competitive talent that can power innovation and growth both within the country and across the world.”
The Focus: Identifying key labour market trends, validating priority interventions, and fostering partnerships to address critical skill gaps
On the occasion, Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, has stressed the need for deeper integration between education and employability. As technologies transform industries at an unprecedented pace, it is imperative that our institutions equip learners not only with knowledge but also with relevant skills, adaptability and a lifelong learning mindset. Through collaborative platforms such as the India Skills Accelerator, we can build pathways that prepare our youth for opportunities in emerging sectors and contribute meaningfully to India’s growth story.
The roundtable concluded with a shared commitment from stakeholders to advance priority actions through structured public-private collaboration, with a focus on workforce transformation, skills financing, emerging technologies and inclusive growth. The outcomes of the deliberations will inform the implementation roadmap of the India Skills Accelerator and support India’s efforts to strengthen its position as a leading global talent hub.
Also Read: MSDE Partners with World Economic Forum to Launch India Skills Accelerator
The participation was witnessed from a diverse group of leaders representing government, industry, academia and international organisations including representatives from Apollo Hospitals, Bajaj Finserv, JSW Group, Mahindra Group, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, Reliance Foundation, ReNew, IBM, Bharat Seats Ltd., and Reliance Industries Limited. The discussions were further enriched by participation from the World Economic Forum, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), FICCI, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), IIT Delhi–FITT, AICTE, UGC, CBSE, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of External Affairs, NCVET, NSDC, MSDE and other key stakeholders from India’s skilling and workforce ecosystem.
