India Sets Up GATI to Tackle Global Labor Shortages with Skilled Talent

Increasing labor shortages throughout Europe, Japan, the Gulf, and other portions of the world are driving demand for skilled Indian labour. Countries including Italy, Spain, Austria, Greece, Germany, and the UAE are trying to ramp up recruitment of skilled Indian workers. To meet dedicated demand, the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation was launched on February 20, 2023, at an event in New Delhi.

The initiative, developed with support from The Convergence Foundation, Vice Chairman of TeamLease Services Manish Sabharwal, and the Godrej Foundation, was launched in the presence of Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary. The event was attended by foreign ambassadors, various officials of government, leaders of businesses, and representatives of think tanks.

Speaking about migration trends, Jaishankar pointed out that around 34 million people of Indian origin currently live and work abroad. “Given current global trends, the potential to expand this footprint even in the near term is very real,” he said.

He outlined recent discussions with other countries to create more legal migration pathways. “Just yesterday, the Japanese ambassador and I discussed an action plan to create a predictable and concrete flow of Indian talent into Japan under our Special Skilled Workers agreement,” said Jaishankar.

He mentioned that Germany, during Chancellor Scholz's trip in October 2024, showed interest in boosting Indian employment in essential sectors. Countries like Italy, Spain, Austria, and Greece are also looking for Indian labor in various sectors, he mentioned.

Ashish Dhawan, the CEO of The Convergence Foundation, stated that India presently sends approximately 700,000 workers overseas each year, with 60% heading to GCC countries. "We can expand this to 2–2.5 million by broadening roles and destinations, possibly increasing remittances to $300 billion," stated Dhawan.