India views mobility as important pillar of international cooperation: EAM Jaishankar

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India considers mobility as a very important pillar of international cooperation, stressing that these partnerships are based on mutual benefit, shared responsibility and long-term sustainability.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Human Resource Mobility Forum on Tuesday, EAM Jaishankar expressed India’s commitment to safe, orderly and legal migration reflected in New Delhi’s 28 Migration and Mobility partnership agreements.

“Human resource mobility therefore represents far more than the movement of people from one place to another. It is about connecting aspirations with opportunities. It is about linking talent with demand. It is about creating pathways through which individuals can contribute to economic progress, and this is the bottomline; it is both economic growth and social wellbeing that we are talking about,” said EAM Jaishankar.

“Now, India’s vision for mobility is not limited to facilitating overseas employment opportunities. We, in fact, view mobility as a very important pillar of international cooperation. These partnerships are based on mutual benefit, shared responsibility, and long-term sustainability. When managed effectively, such partnerships create value for the source countries, for the destination countries, for employers, for workers, for communities,” he added.

India has, till date, signed 28 Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements (MMPAs) or their equivalents with 26 countries and several others are currently under negotiation. EAM Jaishankar stressed the importance for the nations to combat illegal migration, exploitative practices, fraudulent intermediaries, and human trafficking, noting that these challenges compromise the credibility of legal mobility ecosystems and place vulnerable individuals at risk.

“One key pillar which has brought about a transformation in the governance of migration has been the use of digital systems and tools. Just two years back, we had launched eMigrate V.2 platform with better functionalities and services, creating a safer, more transparent and legal structure for mobility. India’s commitment to safe and legal mobility is reflected in the eMigrate platform. And since its inception, more than 50 lakh i.e. five million emigration clearances have been issued. This digital ecosystem has become a global example of leveraging technology to protect migrant workers while facilitating mobility,” EAM Jaishankar said.

He underscored that the welfare and protection of Indians remains the fundamental guiding principle of India’s migration governance and noted that the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), responsive consular services, MADAD, eMigrate and other portals have helped ensure timely assistance to Indian nationals overseas.

The EAM noted that advances in artificial intelligence and automation are expected to transform labour markets across many geographies and many sectors. He said that green economy will create demands for new skills and capabilities while orthodox demands continue. He stated that healthcare and care giving services will become important with ageing populations.

“The Human Resource Mobility Forum provides an important platform to advance all these objectives. By bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, employers, and practitioners, the forum creates opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from experiences, and explore new approaches towards mobility. Such a dialogue I believe is essential because the opportunities and challenges associated with mobility transcend national boundaries. No country can address them in isolation. And no department within the Government similarly can do it alone,” EAM Jaishankar mentioned.

He expressed confidence that the Human Resource Mobility Forum will generate valuable insights, strengthen partnerships, and contribute meaningfully to collective efforts in shaping the future of global talent mobility.

IANS