India–Australia Boost Skills, Sports Economy Ties at 3rd AIESC Meeting in Delhi

Shri Jayant Chaudhary proposed establishing an annual India–Australia Skills Meet, hosted alternately in both countries.

India and Australia held an intensive bilateral dialogue in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 3rd Australia–India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) Meeting, advancing collaboration in skills development, workforce mobility, technical training, and the rapidly expanding sports economy.

The meeting was co-chaired by:

• Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, India

• Mr. Andrew Giles MP, Minister of State for Education and Minister for Skills & Training, Commonwealth of Australia

Both ministers underscored the strong upward trajectory in India–Australia strategic relations and the shared responsibility to convert this momentum into robust, future-ready workforce partnerships.

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Mutual Recognition of Qualifications and Mobility Pathways Prioritised

A core outcome of the discussions was the commitment to fast-track the operationalisation of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ), enabling smoother mobility for skilled professionals between both nations.

Key areas of agreement included:

• Co-designing bridge courses to match competencies and industry requirements

• Aligning training standards for advanced construction skills, particularly relevant to Australia’s major infrastructure expansion ahead of global sporting events

• Developing structured pathways for long-term, ethical workforce mobility

Both sides recognised MRQ as a transformative framework that can significantly expand opportunities for Indian youth seeking global employment.

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Sports Economy Emerges as Major Area of Collaboration

A major highlight of the meeting was the focus on the sports economy as a high-growth sector with vast employment potential.

Discussions centred around strategic opportunities linked to:

• India’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games

• Australia’s hosting of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics

The ministers agreed that:

• The sports and physical wellness industry could contribute up to 2% of India’s GDP

• Australia’s leadership in sports management, performance science, and sports technology can complement India’s strengths in sports manufacturing, workforce scale, and gig-economy sports services

• Joint training programmes, curriculum development, and industry partnerships can create global-standard talent pipelines

This marks one of the most comprehensive bilateral engagements between the two nations in the emerging sports-skills ecosystem.

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Deepening Institutional Collaboration Across Training Networks

Further collaboration was proposed between India's premier skilling ecosystem and Australia’s celebrated vocational training network:

Indian institutions involved:

• Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)

• National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)

• Directorate General of Training (DGT)

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

• National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)

Australian institutions involved:

• Technical and Further Education (TAFE) network

• Skills and Training agencies under the Department of Education

Planned areas of joint work include:

• Mining and mineral processing

• Digital and IT skills

• Hospitality and tourism

• Green jobs and renewable energy

• Logistics and supply chain management

Both countries aim to co-create a globally competitive workforce for emerging industries.

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India Proposes Annual India–Australia Skills Meet

Shri Jayant Chaudhary proposed establishing an annual India–Australia Skills Meet, hosted alternately in both countries. The platform would:

• Harmonise standards in select skill domains

• Foster regular institutional partnerships

• Align training ecosystems with evolving industry requirements

• Support faster MRQ implementation

The Minister also highlighted India’s Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative and called for joint ethical frameworks for the responsible adoption of digital technologies.

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Australian Perspective: Partnership with India Central to Future Growth

Mr. Andrew Giles MP reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to expanding skills cooperation with India, stating that:

• Bilateral collaboration will be crucial as both nations prepare for major sporting and economic milestones

• Skills partnerships will contribute directly to shared prosperity and tangible benefits for the people of both countries

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Conclusion: Shared Resolve to Build Future-Ready Skill Ecosystems

Senior officials from MSDE, DGT, NSDC, NCVET, and Australian skills agencies participated in the meeting, reflecting strong institutional alignment.

Both sides concluded the dialogue with a shared resolve to:

• Maintain high-level engagement

• Fast-track collaborative training models

• Strengthen global workforce mobility

• Enhance training quality and industry relevance

• Build future-ready skill ecosystems in India and Australia

The bilateral discussions mark a significant step in shaping a globally competitive, seamlessly mobile, and innovation-driven workforce partnership between the two Indo–Pacific powers.