India, Microsoft Sign MoU to Boost AI Skilling & Global Job Access

A major highlight of the partnership is Microsoft’s commitment to bring 15,000+ global employers and partners from its worldwide network onto the National Career Service (NCS) platform.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft, marking a transformative moment in India’s efforts to strengthen workforce readiness, digital skilling, and global employment pathways. The agreement was formalized in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

Expanding Global Employment Linkages Through NCS

A major highlight of the partnership is Microsoft’s commitment to bring 15,000+ global employers and partners from its worldwide network onto the National Career Service (NCS) platform. This expansion is expected to dramatically enhance access to formal employment opportunities, particularly in high-growth technology-driven sectors.

By integrating a broader global employer base, the NCS platform will strengthen India’s positioning as a major supplier of skilled professionals to international markets. It will also boost the government’s vision of creating seamless pathways for global mobility for Indian workers, students, and young professionals.

AI-Led Skilling for a Future-Ready Workforce

The MoU scales up collaboration under DigiSaksham, a joint initiative between the Ministry and Microsoft. Under the expanded framework, millions of youth will gain access to advanced training in:

• Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

• Cloud technologies

• Cybersecurity

• Productivity and digital tools

• Data analytics and emerging tech skills

This enhanced focus on AI-driven learning aims to align India’s workforce with evolving global industry standards and ensure competitiveness across international labour markets.

Minister Mandaviya’s Vision for a Digitally Skilled India

Welcoming the collaboration, Dr. Mandaviya highlighted that the partnership is rooted in a shared ambition to unlock the potential of India’s demographic dividend. He emphasized that Microsoft’s participation will significantly accelerate job creation, skill deepening, and India’s leadership in global labour mobility.

The Minister also underscored India’s remarkable progress in social security.

“Social protection coverage has risen from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, benefiting over 94 crore citizens. By embedding AI into platforms like e-Shram and NCS, we are advancing toward our goal of expanding coverage to 100 crore citizens by March 2026,” he stated.

Satya Nadella Applauds India’s Digital Social Protection Drive

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised India’s rapid strides in inclusive social protection, particularly the expansion facilitated by digital platforms such as e-Shram, which has integrated millions of unorganised workers into the formal support ecosystem. He emphasised that such initiatives enable real-time data-driven policy development and improved worker-centric services.

Nadella also expressed interest in supporting India’s long-term vision of establishing a robust Employment Digital Public Infrastructure (Employment DPI), noting its transformative potential to:

• Enable public–private innovation

• Foster interoperable, scalable digital solutions

• Modernize labour market systems

Strengthening Digital Platforms and Labour Market Intelligence

Microsoft’s capabilities in Azure, AI, and cloud technologies align closely with the Ministry’s goals of:

• Enhancing NCS platform efficiency

• Strengthening e-Shram analytics

• Improving labour market intelligence systems

• Modernising employment services and job-matching mechanisms

The MoU also leverages Microsoft’s industry ecosystem to broaden employer participation, with a focus on integrating enterprises, training institutions, academia, and skill partners into the national employment ecosystem.

A Transformative Step Toward a Digitally Empowered Workforce

This collaboration is expected to accelerate India’s transition into a global hub of digitally skilled talent, support job creation across emerging industries, and fortify national efforts to build a future-ready workforce capable of meeting domestic and international demand.