New Delhi: The Ministry of Labour & Employment on Tuesday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft in the presence of Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The strategic partnership marks a major step toward expanding employment linkages, scaling AI-led skilling, and preparing India’s workforce for global opportunities.
A key highlight of the collaboration is Microsoft’s commitment to onboard over 15,000 employers and partners from its extensive international ecosystem onto the Ministry’s National Career Service (NCS) platform. This move is expected to significantly broaden access to formal employment, strengthen hiring in high-growth sectors, and enhance international mobility pathways for Indian professionals and youth.
The partnership will also scale up AI-driven skilling initiatives under DigiSaksham, focusing on equipping millions of young people with future-ready capabilities across artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital productivity tools. These initiatives aim to align India’s workforce with global industry standards and emerging job market demands.
Welcoming the collaboration, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said the MoU reflects a shared ambition to leverage India’s strong demographic dividend by building a globally competitive, digitally skilled, and future-ready workforce. He emphasized that Microsoft’s participation will play a crucial role in accelerating job access, deepening skill development, and strengthening India’s leadership in global labour mobility.
Officials said the partnership represents a significant step forward in India’s efforts to integrate technology-driven skilling with large-scale employment platforms, helping bridge skill gaps while creating new opportunities for youth in domestic as well as international markets.
The Labour Ministry–Microsoft collaboration is expected to become a cornerstone initiative in India’s broader vision of building a digitally empowered workforce for the future economy.