India and Australia Strengthen Skills and Mobility Partnership; Propose Annual Skills Meet

Mumbai: India and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in skills development, workforce mobility, and emerging sectors including sports and advanced construction. The announcement came during the 3rd Australia–India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) Meeting held in New Delhi.

The bilateral dialogue was co-chaired by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship & Minister of State for Education, and Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills & Training, Commonwealth of Australia.

Key Outcomes

• Both nations agreed to accelerate the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) mechanism and co-design bridge courses to align competencies and enable seamless mobility of skilled professionals.
• Special focus was placed on preparing workers for global standards in advanced construction, in light of Australia’s infrastructure expansion ahead of major sporting events.
• India proposed the establishment of an Annual India–Australia Skills Meet, to be held alternately in both countries, aimed at harmonising standards and deepening institutional partnerships.

Sports and Emerging Sectors

Discussions highlighted opportunities arising from India’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Australia’s hosting of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics. The sports and wellness sector was recognised as a sunrise industry with potential to contribute nearly 2% to India’s GDP. Australia’s expertise in sports management and technology was seen as complementary to India’s growing sports manufacturing and gig-economy ecosystem.

Institutional Collaboration

Further cooperation was proposed between India’s ITIs and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and Australia’s TAFE network, covering areas such as mining, digital and IT skills, hospitality, green jobs, renewable energy, and logistics.

Jayant Chaudhary emphasised India’s commitment to future-oriented skills under the Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR) initiative, while stressing the importance of joint ethical frameworks for digital adoption. He noted:
“India and Australia are natural partners in shaping the global workforce of the future. By strengthening pathways, aligning standards, and leveraging each other’s sectoral strengths, we can enable youth to access global opportunities while supporting dynamic industry needs in both our economies.”

Andrew Giles MP added that Australia values its partnership with India and sees skills cooperation as vital to shared prosperity ahead of major sporting and economic milestones.

Participation

The meeting included senior officials from India’s MSDE, Directorate General of Training, NCVET, NSDC, and representatives from the Australian Department of Education and Skills & Training agencies.

The session concluded with a shared resolve to maintain high-level engagement and fast-track collaborative models that enhance training quality, strengthen global mobility, and build future-ready skill ecosystems in both countries.