MSDE Signs MoU with GATI Foundation to Boost Overseas Employment for Skilled Indian Youth

Under the partnership, MSDE and the GATI Foundation will work together to develop a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap for overseas skilling and workforce mobility.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the GATI Foundation, an initiative under the SFI Impact Foundation, to strengthen institutional mechanisms that support overseas employment and global mobility for skilled Indian workers.

The agreement aims to establish a strategic framework for collaboration between the two organisations to help position India as a global hub of skilled talent while enabling Indian youth to access international job opportunities in a structured and sustainable manner.

Under the partnership, MSDE and the GATI Foundation will work together to develop a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap for overseas skilling and workforce mobility. The collaboration will focus on identifying high-demand international job roles, priority destination countries and sector-specific opportunities for skilled Indian professionals.

Speaking on the occasion, Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, highlighted the importance of equipping India’s workforce with globally relevant skills.

“India’s demographic dividend can translate into global economic strength only when our workforce is equipped with skills that meet international standards. This partnership with the GATI Foundation is an important step towards building a structured ecosystem for global skill mobility,” Mukherjee said.

She added that the initiative will help strengthen institutional capacity while preparing Indian youth with the right skills, language capabilities and cultural readiness to participate effectively in global labour markets.

“By identifying emerging opportunities across international labour markets and preparing our youth with the right skills, language capabilities and cultural readiness, we are enabling Indian talent to participate confidently in the global workforce,” she said.

Arnab Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer of the GATI Foundation, said the collaboration represents a significant step toward building a unified national framework for global skills mobility.

“This MoU represents an important step toward building a more unified national approach to global skills mobility. By working closely with MSDE, the aim is to strengthen coordination between the Centre and States and create a more cohesive framework that aligns skilling efforts, messaging and implementation across India’s workforce ecosystem,” Bhattacharya said.

He added that the partnership aims to accelerate India’s journey toward becoming the global skills capital of the world by 2047.

As part of the collaboration, the GATI Foundation will establish a Project Management Unit (PMU) at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi to provide technical and strategic support to the Ministry. The PMU will assist in designing and implementing initiatives related to global skill mobility, including research, monitoring frameworks, international partnerships and ecosystem development for a mobility-ready workforce.

The partnership will also support the development and operationalisation of Skill India International Centres (SIICs) and strengthen partnerships with training institutions such as Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics. These efforts aim to enhance training quality and improve international placement opportunities for skilled Indian youth.

MSDE will facilitate coordination with key government stakeholders including the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and relevant international organisations to align policies and programmes related to overseas employment.

The Ministry will also support initiatives such as foreign language training, cultural orientation programmes and documentation support, all of which are critical for successful international placements.

The MoU will remain in force for an initial period of three years and will operate on a collaborative basis without financial transactions between the two organisations, with each party covering its own operational costs.

The partnership aligns with the Government of India’s broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which emphasises the role of skilled human capital in driving economic growth, innovation and international cooperation.

Through initiatives such as global skill mobility partnerships and the expansion of Skill India International Centres, the government aims to strengthen pathways that allow Indian youth to access quality employment opportunities both within the country and across international labour markets.