India Skills Accelerator (ISA) took centre stage today as the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), convened a High-Level Roundtable in New Delhi under the theme “From Insight to Action: Closing Skills Gaps for Growth.” The roundtable brought together leaders from government, industry, academia, international organizations, and development partners to deliberate on priority actions required to bridge emerging skills gaps and strengthen India’s position as a global talent hub.
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.
The roundtable was co-chaired by 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; Shobana Kamineni, Executive Chairperson, Apollo HealthCo Limited; and Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv. The Co-Chairs were joined by Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.
The discussions focused on identifying the key forces shaping India’s labour market, validating priority interventions to address critical skills gaps, and building a coalition of stakeholders committed to advancing the India Skills Accelerator agenda.
Speaking on the occasion, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, 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.”
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India, said: “The future of education and skilling lies in deeper integration between learning 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.”
Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, said “India is in a strong position to shape the future of the global workforce. Realizing this opportunity requires strong collaboration between government, industry and education stakeholders to ensure skills systems keep pace with economic and technological change. The India Skills Accelerator is an important platform to strengthen this coordination, align workforce development with industry demand, and help build a more inclusive, resilient and future-ready economy.”
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.
The roundtable witnessed participation from a diverse group of leaders representing government, industry, academia and international organisations. Industry leaders included 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.
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