IESA calls for accelerated skilling, employment reforms in 2026

Industry body India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) on Friday called for accelerated skilling and employment reforms in 2026 to fully realise the country's potential as the world's talent capital, leveraging its largest youth population.

Currently, 51.25 per cent of Indian youth are employable, and with training capacity at 4.3 million against 12 million new workforce entrants annually, the opportunity to expand infrastructure and partnerships has never been greater, an IESA statement said.

According to the statement, with 75 per cent of India's population in the working-age group, experts emphasise that collaborative action between government, industry, and academia can transform this demographic advantage into global economic leadership.

The IESA call is for building on existing government frameworks to increase formal vocational training beyond the current 4.4 per cent and create pathways that position India as the preferred talent destination worldwide.

IESA President Debmalya Sen said in the statement, ''As per various studies, the renewable energy sector is confronting a critical skill gap of approximately 1.2 million workers, with demand projected to surge by 26 per cent, requiring 1.7 million skilled professionals by 2027.'' ''We need 35 million green jobs by 2047. We need mandatory green skills modules integrated into technical education, industry-aligned certification programmes, and dedicated funding for training institutes focused on sustainability sectors,'' Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director, Customized Energy Solutions, said in the statement.

Sanjay Ghodawat Group CHRO Santosh Rudrawar suggested that government initiatives like the Women Entrepreneurship Platform are a start, but industry demands stronger training frameworks.

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