India's largest skilled youth contingent to compete at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026

By Suchitra Mukherjee Shanghai [China], September 21 (ANI): India's largest-ever contingent of 70 skilled young competitors will represent the country across 63 skill categories at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, which begins in Shanghai on Tuesday. The competitors will showcase India's growing capabilities in technical excellence, creativity, precision, innovation and craftsmanship on the world stage. Shanghai is geared up for the event, which is being held at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC), China's largest exhibition complex and a landmark in itself. While the opening ceremony will take place tomorrow, the closing event is scheduled for September 27 after days of intense competition. Alongside the competition, the WorldSkills Conference will be held from September 23 to 25, where global leaders, policymakers and educators will discuss the future of vocational education. India's team will participate in 63 out of 64 skill categories, making it one of India's largest and most diverse representations. The eleven new skills in which India will compete for the first time are Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Landscape Gardening, Optoelectronic Technology, Retail Sales, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Industrial Mechanics, Software Testing and Heavy Vehicle Technology, and Aircraft Maintenance. India's participation in these new categories reflects the growing depth of the country's skilling ecosystem, which is expanding from strong foundations in traditional trades to advanced technologies, specialised services, creative industries and next-generation industrial capabilities. The participation is being held under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) driving India's WorldSkills preparation through close collaboration with industry partners, training institutions and domain experts. India's performance in global skill competitions has shown steady progress over the years. Ranked 29th at WorldSkills in 2015, India rose to 13th position in 2024. The country secured 8th rank in Asia at WorldSkills Asia 2025 and winning five medals at the Taipei Capital Cup 2026. Under the Skill India Mission, India is building a strong preparation ecosystem anchored in industry partnerships, expert-led mentoring, structured training and global exposure. The expanded participation at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 marks another step in India's journey towards establishing itself as a global hub for skilled talent. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship hosted the send-off ceremony for the Indian contingent participating in WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 in the national capital on September 15. In his remarks at the event, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary said that Team India represents a confident, creative and digitally agile generation, ready to compete with the world's best. "Our participation in new-age skills reflects the growing depth of India's skilling ecosystem," he said. The Union Minister said that guided by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, his ministry is taking skilling to scale through skill competitions, Kaushal Mahotsavs and stronger partnerships with States and industry "At some point in time, we must aspire to host such global skill competitions as well," he said, urging the team to trust its training. "Stay focused and compete without fear. Shanghai is not only a competition; it is an opportunity to discover how far your skill can take you. Embrace the spirit of 'Never Give Up', give your very best and inspire a generation to choose skill with confidence and pride,' Choudhary said. Officials said the Modi government has given focus on future-ready skilling through initiatives such as the National Education Policy, the Skill India Mission, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, and efforts to promote apprenticeships. The PM-SETU scheme is modernizing one thousand government ITIs with an investment of 60,000 crore rupees alongside direct industry participation, they said. In his Independence Day address this year, PM Modi announced that one crore youth would be trained in AI skills over the next one year. He also announced free online coaching for youth preparing for various examinations. (ANI)