New Delhi : Shri
Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education,
Government of India, today held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Matias
Marttinen, Hon’ble Minister of Employment, Government of Finland, to
explore avenues for strengthening cooperation between India and Finland in the
areas of skill development, vocational education and workforce mobility.
The meeting reflected the growing
convergence between the two countries in building resilient and future-ready
talent ecosystems. Both ministers discussed opportunities to deepen
collaboration between institutions, industry and training systems in order to
enhance vocational education and create pathways for skilled workforce
mobility.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India,
said: “Under the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, India is steadily moving
towards becoming the Global Skill Capital of the world. With one of the
youngest and most dynamic workforce, supported by a rapidly expanding skilling
ecosystem, India is well positioned to contribute skilled talent to global
industries. India’s demographic strength and Finland’s technological and
vocational excellence create a natural partnership in the domain of skills. Our
discussion focused on building practical bridges between training ecosystems,
strengthening institutional cooperation and creating pathways for skilled youth
to access global opportunities while maintaining high standards of training and
mobility.”
Mr. Matias Marttinen, Hon’ble
Minister of Employment, Government of Finland, said: “Finland values its
growing partnership with India in the field of vocational education and
workforce development. We deeply appreciate the contribution of highly-skilled
Indian professionals who are working across different sectors and strengthening
our workforce. India’s strong skilling ecosystem and its young talent present
significant opportunities for further collaboration. By strengthening
cooperation between our institutions and industries, we can address workforce
challenges while promoting innovation, skills development and sustainable
economic growth.”
The discussions recognised the
significant complementarities between India’s expanding skilling ecosystem and
Finland’s evolving labour market needs, particularly in sectors such as
healthcare, construction, green technologies and advanced manufacturing. The
two sides emphasised the importance of structured and mutually beneficial
mobility frameworks that enable skilled professionals to access global
opportunities while ensuring high standards of training, certification and
worker welfare.
During the interaction, both
ministers noted the importance of strengthening partnerships between vocational
education and training institutions of the two countries, promoting knowledge
exchange and encouraging industry-led skill development initiatives. They also
deliberated on areas such as capacity building of trainers, integration of
language training to support international mobility, and the development of
pathways that allow learners to combine vocational training with academic
qualifications.
The discussion also highlighted
the potential for closer collaboration between institutions and industry
stakeholders in both countries to align skill standards with emerging global
requirements. Both sides expressed interest in exploring mechanisms that could
facilitate smoother recognition of vocational qualifications and encourage mobility
of skilled professionals in sectors facing workforce shortages.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared
commitment of India and Finland to expand cooperation in skill development,
strengthen vocational education systems and promote ethical and sustainable
workforce mobility. Both ministers agreed to continue engagement through
institutional partnerships and ongoing dialogue to identify priority sectors
and practical areas of collaboration.
The Finnish delegation included
Ms. Teresa Salminen, Adviser to the Minister; Ms. Sonja Hämäläinen, Director
General, Labour Migration and Integration; Ms. Laura Lindeman, Senior Director,
Work in Finland; Ms. Liisa Toivonen, Counsellor (Innovation); Mr. Tuomas
Vasama, Chief Executive Officer, Works Oy; Ms. Shrestha Sharma, Talent Boost
Programme, Business Finland; and Ms. Amanda Hekkala, Embassy of Finland.
The Indian side was represented
by Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship; Shri Nirmaljit Singh Gaba, Member, National Council for
Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General,
Directorate General of Training (DGT) and Shri Niranjan Kumar Sudhansu,
Additional Secretary, MSDE.