Ashwini Vaishnaw Urges Industry-Academia Collaboration to Build Future-Ready Workforce for Viksit Bharat 2047

New Delhi: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ashwini Vaishnaw, today emphasized the need for united efforts in developing a future-ready talent pool to power India’s manufacturing ambitions under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision laid out by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Speaking at a high-level roundtable with leaders from industry and academia, the Minister urged stakeholders to expedite efforts in skilling, research, and innovation to align with India’s rapidly evolving manufacturing and technological landscape.

The roundtable centered on the theme of “Talent Development and Capacity Building for Sustainable Manufacturing,” with a special focus on emerging sectors and technologies. Shri Vaishnaw lauded the emergence of the Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology (MET) initiative—a pioneering effort by NAMTECH (New Age Makers Institute of Technology), also referred to as the MET Innovation School. This initiative aims to bridge the talent gap in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and Industry 4.0.

“India is at a turning point, and the opportunity to build something truly transformative is now. We must act with urgency and unity to create a robust skilling ecosystem across all levels—shop floor, design, and R&D,” Vaishnaw said. He called on industry leaders to replicate the successful Gati Shakti model, where companies co-developed job-ready curricula simply by sharing their domain expertise—without financial investments.

The NAMTECH initiative aligns with key government missions such as Digital India, Skill India, the National Manufacturing Mission, and sector-specific PLI schemes, and complements cutting-edge initiatives including the India Semiconductor Mission, National AI Mission, National Robotics Strategy, Mobility Manufacturing Mission, and the National Hydrogen Mission.

In keeping with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes vocational and digital integration, the government has also launched frameworks such as the Skill India Digital Hub, ITI Upgradation Scheme, Chip to Startup, and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) to support industry-linked skilling models.

During the event, an MoU was signed between NAMTECH and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), Vadodara, in the presence of Prof. Manoj Choudhary, Vice Chancellor of GSV. The agreement outlines cooperation on smart manufacturing, logistics innovation, transportation systems, and future-ready skill development.

NAMTECH also formalized partnerships with major industry players including Siemens India, Analog Devices Inc., and Applied Materials Inc. to co-develop laboratories, skilling centres, and scholarship programs in key areas such as semiconductors, smart manufacturing, and robotics.

Calling the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) one of the world’s finest, the Minister welcomed MIT’s guidance in shaping NAMTECH into a world-class institution. “We need to combine global best practices with local aspirations to truly realize the dream of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said.

The MET platform, driven by NAMTECH and supported by MeitY, aims to become a national hub for talent development, infrastructure building, and knowledge sharing. It serves as a key pillar in India’s goal to emerge as a global leader in electronics and advanced manufacturing, rooted in sustainability and inclusivity.