India, Australia Deepen Skills and Mobility Partnership
Nations eye collaboration in sports, construction and emerging tech; India proposes annual Skills Meet
- India and Australia reaffirm cooperation at the 3rd AIESC Meeting in New Delhi
- Both sides to fast-track Mutual Recognition of Qualifications and joint bridge courses
- Sports economy, advanced construction and emerging tech identified as priority sectors
- India proposes an annual India–Australia Skills Meet to harmonise training standards
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Dec: India and Australia on Monday reaffirmed their growing collaboration in skills development, global mobility and emerging sectors during a bilateral dialogue held alongside the 3rd Australia–India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) Meeting in New Delhi. The session was co-chaired by India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, and Australia’s Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles MP.
Both sides acknowledged the rapid expansion of India–Australia ties and agreed to translate this momentum into structured pathways for skilled workforce movement. A key focus of the meeting was the accelerated operationalisation of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) framework and the co-design of bridge courses to ensure alignment of competencies.
With Australia advancing major infrastructure projects ahead of global sporting events and India bidding for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the sports sector emerged as a significant area of opportunity. The ministers noted that the sports and physical wellness industry could contribute nearly 2% to India’s GDP, combining Australia’s leadership in sports management and technology with India’s growing sports manufacturing and gig economy landscape.
Focus on Future Skills and Joint Training
The dialogue explored collaboration between India’s ITIs and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and Australia’s TAFE network. Training partnerships are expected to expand across mining, digital skills, hospitality, logistics, renewable energy and green jobs.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasised India’s commitment to future-ready capabilities under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative. He highlighted the need for ethical frameworks and high-quality standards to ensure responsible digital adoption.
“India and Australia are natural partners in shaping the global workforce of the future,” he said, proposing the establishment of an annual India–Australia Skills Meet to harmonise standards and deepen institutional linkages.
Andrew Giles MP stated that Australia places high value on its partnership with India, noting that upcoming sporting and economic milestones present new opportunities for shared prosperity driven by skills cooperation.
Towards Future-Ready Workforce Ecosystems
Senior officials from MSDE, the Directorate General of Training, NCVET, NSDC and representatives from the Australian Department of Education participated in the meeting. Both nations agreed to maintain high-level engagement and fast-track collaborative models that enhance training quality, support global mobility and build future-ready skill ecosystems.
The session concluded with a shared resolve to leverage synergies across priority sectors and deepen cooperation as both nations prepare for major global events and long-term economic transitions.
