India, Australia Launch Roundtable to Build Resilient and Skilled Nursing Workforce

Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Akanksha Ranjan, Deputy Secretary (Nursing & Dental), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, emphasised the critical timing of this dialogue.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in partnership with Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia, and Jhpiego, inaugurated Day 1 of the two-day Roundtable on “Strengthening the Nursing Workforce in India and Australia: Building Collaborative Pathways for a Resilient and Skilled Nursing Workforce Aligned with the SDGs”. The event, held in New Delhi, brought together senior officials, academic leaders, industry experts, and global health partners to strengthen bilateral cooperation in nursing education, workforce planning, and healthcare delivery.

A Platform for Advancing Global Nursing Priorities

The roundtable serves as a key platform for both nations to explore collaborative solutions aimed at building a future-ready, competency-based, and sustainable nursing workforce aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Discussions focused on strengthening mutual learning, sharpening workforce capacities, identifying research priorities, and expanding ethical mobility pathways for nurses.

Nursing at the Heart of Health Systems

Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Akanksha Ranjan, Deputy Secretary (Nursing & Dental), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, emphasised the critical timing of this dialogue. The roundtable follows India’s three-day National Strategic Meeting on Nursing Policy, which charted the country's long-term roadmap for reforming nursing and midwifery systems.

Ms. Ranjan reaffirmed that “nurses are the backbone of healthcare”, highlighting that global demand for skilled nurses far exceeds supply. With 2.9 million nurses worldwide and a shortage of 4.5 million, the need for coordinated global action is more urgent than ever. Ethical and well-governed migration pathways, she noted, can help bridge this gap while ensuring patient safety and nurse welfare.

She further stressed that India–Australia cooperation—driven by shared democratic values, strong academic partnerships, and complementary health system strengths—provides a powerful platform to advance nursing education standards, clinical competencies, and sustainable workforce growth.

India’s Expanding Nursing Capacity

Addressing the forum, Dr. Deepika Khakha, Nursing Advisor, DGHS, underlined that India’s 3.5 million-strong nursing workforce anchors a rapidly transforming healthcare ecosystem. With over 5,000 nursing institutes offering a diverse range of diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs, India has one of the world’s largest nurse education networks.

She highlighted that the Government of India is committed to expanding this capacity further, with plans to establish 157 new nursing institutions across the country. The investment, she noted, reflects India’s long-term vision to create a robust, well-distributed, and competency-driven nursing workforce.

Advancing Curriculum Reforms and Faculty Development

Dr. Khakha emphasised that strengthening faculty development is essential to building a skilled nursing workforce. Enhanced pedagogic skills, research capabilities, leadership training, and digital competency among faculty will create a cascading effect—directly improving student learning outcomes and workforce readiness.

She highlighted the transformational impact of the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Act, 2023, which aims to modernize curriculum standards, expand clinical exposure, incorporate simulation-based learning, and ensure equitable distribution of trained professionals. Key pillars of reform include:

• Competency-based learning

• Continuous professional development

• Digital and hybrid learning modules

• Stronger regulatory oversight

• Enhanced clinical and community engagement

• Leadership and management training

These reforms, she stated, will significantly improve the quality, safety, and responsiveness of India’s nursing workforce.

Strengthening India–Australia Academic Partnership

Prof. Karen Strickland, Executive Dean, Edith Cowan University, commended the collaborative efforts of both countries in advancing nursing excellence. She emphasized the importance of global partnerships in preparing nurses to handle shifting healthcare challenges, adopt new technologies, and deliver high-quality care in diverse and dynamic environments.

Prof. Strickland highlighted that India and Australia share a deep, longstanding academic relationship in nursing education, which continues to expand through student exchanges, research partnerships, and innovation-driven teaching methodologies.

A Decade of Nursing System Reforms

Speaking at the event, Dr. Kamlesh Lalchandani, Deputy Country Director, Jhpiego India, celebrated India’s health system improvements over the last decade—particularly in maternal health, critical care nursing, and midwifery-led care units. He reinforced the need for evidence-based practice, workforce capability building, and the adoption of global best practices to enhance nursing leadership and service delivery.

Identifying Priorities for Bilateral Collaboration

Through extensive group discussions and expert sessions, participants identified several priority areas for India–Australia cooperation:

• Joint faculty development programmes

• Collaborative research initiatives

• Structured nurse exchange pathways

• Digital and blended learning platforms

• Strengthened accreditation and regulatory frameworks

• Innovations in simulation-based and competency-based training

• Ethical and transparent nurse mobility models

These priorities align with the global vision for Universal Health Coverage and contribute directly to SDG targets related to health, education, gender equality, and workforce development.

A Step Forward in Building a Resilient Global Nursing Workforce

The roundtable brought together leaders from central and state governments, educational institutions, multilateral organisations, and development partners. The gathering not only strengthened bilateral cooperation but also elevated the national agenda on nursing and midwifery reforms.

Through shared learning, collaborative innovation, and an unwavering commitment to global health, India and Australia are taking significant steps toward shaping a resilient, competent, and future-ready nursing workforce that can meet the demands of tomorrow’s healthcare systems.