✍️ Lieutenant. Preeti Mohan
"Indians living and working abroad have earned widespread admiration for their exemplary character, positive behaviour, and unparalleled work ethic. Their dedication and hardworking nature have endeared them to countries around the world, fostering strong bonds of respect and appreciation. As ambassadors of their culture, Indians continue to leave a lasting impression and contribute positively to global societies."
India has a unique opportunity to export its young workforce and become a significant part of the workforce in developed countries. Developed nations are currently experiencing a shortage of workers, and India can leverage this opportunity by sending its surplus young workforce to these countries. To facilitate this, the Indian government has signed 17 Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreements (MMPA) with countries like Australia, Austria, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK. Additionally, agreements are underway with the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark, Switzerland, South Korea, and Taiwan to facilitate the free movement of the workforce.
The government has signed agreements to supply labour to countries that are in demographic decline and need workers is welcome, and it can benefit the country if it is worked out well. Most countries that are experiencing labour shortages are developed countries but there are others also that are facing the problem. Taiwan has shown interest in hiring 100,000 Indians to work in factories, farms and hospitals. India has signed labour supply agreements with some countries, including Japan and France, and negotiations are being held with the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark and Switzerland. An agreement has been signed with Israel under which India will send 42,000 workers to that country. There are already about 18,000 Indians working in Israel, mainly as caregivers. The manpower requirement in most of these countries is in sectors like manufacturing, farming, construction and healthcare.
The demand for workers will keep increasing, and India will be able to meet the demand in the foreseeable future without affecting the availability of labour within the country itself. While bilateral agreements are signed with some countries, India has also insisted that trade agreements should cover services and labour mobility. The workers will be able to earn and build their lives in other countries, and India will benefit from their remittances. India will have to do some planning and projections about the future requirements of other countries and provide training and skilling to workers accordingly.
The Greek Parliament has now approved an amendment that allows illegal migrants to receive three-year residency and work permits for specific job sectors. As a result, Greece has requested up to 10,000 farm workers from India to address their labour shortage. A significant number of workers from Punjab have already been employed in farming, factory, or construction work there.
Indians working abroad at all levels have acquitted themselves well and created a good impression in other countries. They are a source of soft power for the country.
India's economy currently ranks 5th in the world and is expected to become the 3rd largest in the future. However, there is a need to improve the relationship between the country's economic growth and employment generation, as the demographic dividend is not being fully utilised. It is concerning to note that while there are 13 million active job seekers on the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment's portal, the total number of vacancies in both private and government sectors is only 2.20 lakh.
India is the only country where the supply of young workforce is growing faster than demand. Every year, a massive 12 million young people become employable. This sets India apart from developed countries like the US, Japan, and Germany which have middle-aged or elderly workforce and are facing a severe shortage of young workforce. With a young population (below 35 years) which is set to grow from 62 per cent to 68 per cent by 2030, India has an incredible opportunity to leverage its workforce and meet the demands of developed nations.
Countries worldwide are increasingly drawn to Indians for their exceptional dedication to work, strong work ethic, exemplary behaviour, and impressive skill sets. Indians demonstrate a deep respect for the cultures and laws of the countries they inhabit, fostering goodwill and trust wherever they go. As a result, many nations are actively inviting Indians to contribute to their workforce, recognizing their valuable contributions to diverse sectors. The global demand for Indian talent reflects the universal appreciation for their professionalism, adaptability, and commitment to upholding international standards.
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