Build future-ready workforce to drive India's manufacturing growth: Ashwini Vaishnaw

IANS May 23, 2025 478 views

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has emphasized the critical need for building a future-ready workforce to drive India's manufacturing growth. The government is launching multiple missions and initiatives to support advanced technology development and skill enhancement. NAMTECH represents a pioneering approach to addressing talent gaps in emerging technological sectors. These efforts align with the broader national goal of creating a competitive and innovative manufacturing ecosystem by 2047.

"Industry participation is essential to making NAMTECH truly impactful" - Ashwini Vaishnaw
Build future-ready workforce to drive India's manufacturing growth: Ashwini Vaishnaw
New Delhi, May 23: Union Minister of Railways and Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has called for concerted action to build talent and capacity in support of the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ mission.

Key Points

1

Developing future-ready workforce through advanced technology education

2

Bridging critical skill gaps in manufacturing sector

3

Supporting PM's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047

4

Integrating vocational and digital learning models

Addressing a roundtable comprising industry leaders and academia here, the minister urged stakeholders to accelerate the development of a future-ready workforce to drive India’s manufacturing growth.

The roundtable discussion focused on talent development and capacity building for sustainable manufacturing, combining a global perspective with local action.

The minister praised the emergence of a new sector, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology (MET), an initiative by NAMTECH (New Age Makers Institute of Technology), the MET Innovation School.

This initiative aims to meet the demands of Industry 4.0 and beyond, specifically by addressing the talent gap in emerging technologies and preparing a highly-skilled workforce and future leaders capable of driving transformative change in India.

Vaishnaw welcomed the MIT delegation at the event, calling them one of the finest institutions globally, which is envisioned as a world-class institute for advanced manufacturing.

He also acknowledged Indian industry leaders such as Suzuki, Siemens, ABB, Inox and others, emphasising that industry participation is essential to making NAMTECH truly impactful and aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision.

The government has launched several pioneering missions, including the India Semiconductor Mission, AI Mission, National Robotics Strategy, Mobility Manufacturing Mission, and National Hydrogen Mission, which reflect the priority placed on advanced technology development and adoption.

The National Education Policy 2020 also emphasises holistic development and the integration of vocational and digital education into mainstream schooling.

Complementing these are talent-oriented frameworks such as the Skill India Digital Hub, ITI Upgradation Scheme, Chip to Startup, and the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) — all of which emphasise industry-aligned, inclusive skilling models.

MeitY continues to support such ecosystem-driven initiatives that bridge critical skill gaps, democratise access to advanced technology education, and contribute to India's global competitiveness in the electronics and manufacturing domains.

The event also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NAMTECH and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), Vadodara.

—IANS

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Finally some concrete steps towards making India a manufacturing hub! The MET initiative sounds promising, but implementation is key. Hope these tie-ups with foreign universities bring real knowledge transfer, not just photo ops. 🇮🇳
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Priya M.
As an engineering graduate, I wish these initiatives existed when I was studying! The industry-academia gap is real. Hope NAMTECH focuses on practical skills rather than just theory. More women should be encouraged in manufacturing too!
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Arjun S.
Good vision but execution needs monitoring. Our ITIs still lack basic infrastructure in many states. Before talking about Industry 4.0, let's fix the basics. Also, why no mention of supporting MSMEs in this high-tech push?
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Neha T.
The collaboration with MIT is exciting! But we must ensure the curriculum is adapted for Indian needs, not just copied from the West. Our manufacturing challenges are unique - from scale to diversity. Jai Hind! ✨
S
Sanjay R.
While the focus on high-tech is good, we shouldn't neglect traditional manufacturing sectors that employ millions. A balanced approach is needed where both old and new industries grow together. Make in India should mean ALL of India.
K
Kavita P.
As a teacher, I'm happy to see education policy changes! But training teachers is equally important - you can't teach 21st century skills with 20th century teaching methods. Hope there's focus on educator upskilling too. 🙏

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Tags:
Ashwini Vaishnaw Manufacturing Skill Development India 2047 Technology Education MeitY NAMTECH