Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, today emphasised that India’s ongoing free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries will make access to global opportunities easier for skilled Indian youth.
“India is entering new global partnerships through FTAs, making international mobility easier. Our youth must be skilled and globally competitive so they can take up opportunities across borders,” Prasada said, speaking at Bharat Skillnxt to mark the 10th anniversary of Skill India.
The minister also underlined the government's focused approach towards key sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare and climate change—areas where, he believes, India’s youth can drive meaningful change in the years to come.
He added that the current focus is on improving quality of life and income levels, which would come through skilling.
Touching on India’s growing ambitions in the semiconductor sector, Prasada said the country is placing significant emphasis on building capabilities in this domain.
“Semiconductor is another industry where India is focusing strongly. We have secured huge investment, a great amount of incentives, production-linked incentive schemes, export promotion schemes and manufacturing schemes to ensure that our businesses, ecosystems and supply chains grow together and we can absorb people with the talent and skill to raise income levels and change lives,” he added.
Acknowledging the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in skilling youth for today’s world, he also stated that India’s AI Summit has been renamed AI Impact Summit, which is scheduled to take place in February 2026.
“We have heard much talk about AI but now it is time to see real impact. Just like mobile phones once seemed inaccessible but are now in every hand, AI too will soon become part of daily life,” Prasada said.
He also commended the Ministry of Education for introducing AI readiness at the school level. “With credits embedded into the curriculum, our education system is preparing young people to understand and work with AI from an early stage.”
However, he pointed out the need to bridge the digital divide and address cyber threats, which are borderless and ever-evolving. He said skilling must include awareness and defence against such threats.
He reiterated that skill development must translate into tangible outcomes either through employment or by empowering youth to launch their own ventures.
