NEW DELHI: The European Union on Wednesday launched its first ever European Legal Gateway Office, a one-stop hub for Indian students and professionals seeking opportunities in EU member states.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the new initiative is a reflection of growing depth, confidence and maturity of the India -- European Union strategic partnership.
The European Legal Gateway Office in India is the first of its kind in a partner country and will facilitate safe, legal, and well-informed migration and mobility from India to EU member states in the information and communication technology sector (ICT), the 27-nation bloc said.
It will support Indian students, researchers, and professionals in the ICT sector by providing clear and reliable information on mobility pathways and their various skills and qualification requirements, across all the EU member states, it said.
It will also support EU-based employers and higher education institutions to engage with Indian talent.
The launch event was attended by Jaishankar and Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty and security.
In his remarks, Jaishankar highlighted India's contributions to global talent pools, especially in digital, scientific and emerging technologies, thanks to the country's young population and growing skills base.
"We are living through a period of profound transformation in the global economy. De-risking is a growing priority. Supply chains are being reconfigured," he said.
"Technology is reshaping work. Demographics are diverging sharply across geographies. The concept of a global workforce is an emerging reality."
The external affairs minister said that countries that can connect talent flows with seizing opportunities, while ensuring legality, transparency and fairness, will be best positioned to navigate this transition.
"With one of the world's youngest populations, a rapidly growing skills base, and strong capabilities in digital, scientific and emerging technologies, India is increasingly a major contributor to global talent pools," he said.
"We believe in mobility with a purpose, mobility that is legal and regular, mobility that empowers individuals, strengthens partner economies, and contributes to development at home," he noted.
Jaishankar said the European Legal Gateway Office must be appreciated in this larger context.
"It will serve as an enabler -- one that brings predictability and clarity to mobility pathways across the European Union. As a trusted interface, it will help students, researchers and professionals understand opportunities, pathways and qualification frameworks," he said.
Virkkunen highlighted India's role as a global leader in digital skills, and said Indians make up the largest group entering the EU for study and research.
"Indian students, researchers and professionals are already making an enormous contribution to Europe's universities, laboratories and companies. And we want this exchange to be in a structured, transparent and mutually beneficial way," she said.
"With the physical presence here at New Delhi and Brussels, and also through job fairs, study visits and targeted outreach, this initiative will create a trusted and practical talent corridor between India and Europe," Virkkunen said.