India to Debut in 11 New Skills at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
- IBEF
- September 10, 2026
India is set to expand its global skills footprint with first-time participation in 11 new skill categories at the 48th WorldSkills Competition, scheduled to be held in Shanghai, China, from 22 to 27 September. Team Skill India will compete in 63 of the 64 skills at the competition, with a contingent of nearly 70 competitors, making it one of the country's largest and most diverse representations at WorldSkills to date. The 11 new categories include Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Landscape Gardening, Optoelectronic Technology, Retail Sales, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Industrial Mechanics, Software Testing, Heavy Vehicle Technology and Aircraft Maintenance, spanning healthcare technologies, digital design, intelligent systems, drone technologies, advanced manufacturing and customer-centric services, according to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The participation is being led by MSDE, with the National Skill Development Corporation spearheading preparation in collaboration with industry partners and training institutions. MSDE Secretary Ms. Debashree Mukherjee said India's participation in these new skills reflects the evolution of its skilling ecosystem towards future-facing, globally relevant capabilities, enabling youth to benchmark themselves against global standards. India's performance in global skills competitions has improved steadily, rising from 29th position at WorldSkills in 2015 to 13th in 2024, alongside eighth place in Asia at WorldSkills Asia 2025 and five medals at the Taipei Capital Cup 2026. The expanded participation at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 marks another step in India's efforts to establish itself as a global hub for skilled talent under the Skill India Mission.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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