Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stressed the need for young people to continuously acquire new skills, upgrade their capabilities and adapt to emerging technologies amid rapid technological advancements. He made the remarks while interacting with representatives of Team India at the WorldSkills Competition, Shanghai 2026, at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, earlier in the day.
Participants share experiences of representing India on the Global stage
During the interaction, participants shared their experiences at the international competition and expressed pride in representing India on the global stage. They spoke about adapting to new tools, software, technical systems and work processes during the competition. They also highlighted the government’s efforts towards skill development and their role in creating opportunities for young people, according to a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Congratulating the participants on representing India, the Prime Minister urged them to become ambassadors of skill development. He emphasised that practical skills are as important as academic degrees and called on the participants to develop capabilities in line with the requirements of the international market.
He also encouraged them to share their experiences and suggestions to help strengthen India’s skill training ecosystem. Emphasising the need for coordinated efforts by young people, the government and training institutions, he said these efforts would help establish India as a global hub of skilled human resources.
The Prime Minister took to X and posted:
“Hosted the bright youngsters who took part in the 48th WorldSkills Competition held in Shanghai. Proud of them!”
Hosted the bright youngsters who took part in the 48th WorldSkills Competition held in Shanghai.
Proud of them! pic.twitter.com/5lzQwcer6h
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 9, 2026
PM underscores importance of skill training institutions
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the objective behind establishing a separate Ministry for Skill Development while underscoring the importance of skill training institutions, stating that their significance is no less than that of IITs and IIMs.
Team India won 6 silver Medals, 20 Medals for Excellence at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
WorldSkills is a leading international skills competition that brings together young professionals from participating countries and regions to demonstrate excellence in vocational and technical skills.
The 48th WorldSkills Competition was held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. Team India secured 10th position, winning six silver medals and 20 Medals for Excellence. India was represented by its largest-ever contingent of 70 competitors across 63 skills.
The interaction was also attended by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, along with senior officials of the Government of India.
-PIB Inputs
