Grand Strategy: India’s global mobility dreams ride on public-private partnerships

AT republic of india’s domain magazine publisher’s yearbook group discussion on Mobility in early December, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar observed that remittances to India in 2024 were worth $135 billion, or almost twice the exports to the US. This, he argued, is in addition to assets created by Indians abroad and services generated in India. He was underscoring the importance of mobility of Indian skilled labour, global exposure for Indian students and the utility of ‘circular mobility’.It is abundantly clear that India’s vast demographic dividend will take center stage in the “Global Workplace” which is increasingly dependent on skilled workforce from countries like India. As India asserts itself as the world’s ‘skill capital’, Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements (MMPAs) have become crucial enabling instruments in the policy ecosystem. From the landmark 2023 agreement with Austria to pacts with Germany, Australia, Italy, and France, Delhi is keen on easing the mobility of Indian skills and talent worldwide.But a formally signed treaty between governments, however visionary, is merely a declaration of intent. The true test lies in its implementation once the agreement is signed. To transform these mobility agreements from promises on paper into tangible success stories, the private sector must play a vital role and governments must encourage them to do so. As a matter of fact, unknown to many, this is already underway albeit in a limited manner. The collaboration between VFS Education Services and Austria’s leading technical universities is one of the several examples where the private sector is taking cue from the government and stepping in.The Implementation ChallengeWhile India’s demographic advantage is undeniable, moving Indian talent across borders internationally often hits a wall of bureaucratic hurdles, fragmented policies, and a lack of real-time skill alignment. More specifically, formal agreements in the skill mobility sector routinely face immense challenges due to verification issues, manual checks of credentials of those seeking to move, or because those outside of major metros are unaware of high-demand opportunities abroad.As Jaishankar correctly noted, effective mobility is a powerful diplomatic tool, but managing it legally and formally is not always easy. This is precisely where the private sector must step in, offering a transparent, efficient, and legally robust framework for talent mobility. There are several successful examples where the private sector has taken the initiative forward where the governments have left off.Consider a recent initiative launched in September 2025 by VFS Education Services with the Austrian government. Building on the 2023 India-Austria “Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement” (MMPA), this initiative has created a direct, fully supported pipeline for Indian engineering graduates to pursue M.Tech or M.Sc. Degrees at Austria’s premier public universities.What makes this initiative unique is that it has the ability to replace bureaucratic paperwork with a digital admissions portal featuring blockchain-enabled DocsWallet authentication, and ensure secure, real-time academic verification and streamlined visa scheduling. Unlike traditional processes, this model provides “wraparound” support (from personalized counseling and English assessments to post-arrival residence registration) which provides seamless transition into the local economy for Indian students.Germany’s updated “Skilled Labour Strategy” formally acknowledges the “extremely important” role of private recruitment agencies in matching Indian talent with German employers. Australia’s MATES scheme, targeting young professionals in high-growth sectors, too relies on private-sector institutions (universities, industry bodies) to cultivate “optimal conditions” for employment.The success of the Austrian initiative, which alone offers over 300 Master’s seats in high-demand fields like AI, robotics, and circular engineering, underscores the urgent need to replicate this PPP strategy across other mobility corridors. PPPs create a “win-win-win” scenario for all three players involved.As for the government, PPPs allow the formal processes to focus on high-level policy and security issues while the private sector manages “non-judgmental” administrative tasks like document verification and logistics. For students in this case, these partnerships dismantle barriers to entry by a clear, supported roadmap that replaces migration anxiety with clarity and professional certainty. Finally, for the Global Economy and Indian economy, this model facilitates “circular mobility,” where Indian talent gains world-class exposure in fields like AI and/or green chemistry, eventually integrating into international workforces or returning home with the invaluable intellectual capital needed to fuel domestic growth. Even if they don’t return, remittances to India, as Jaishanakr pointed out, are an important boost to the Indian economy.As India continues to sign ambitious mobility agreements with nations like Australia and Denmark, there will need to be more creativity and innovation as well as private sector participation to implement those agreements and the role of private partners will only intensify.The point here is that to truly fulfill the promise of the “Global Workplace” and to strengthen “circular mobility,” we must move beyond symbolic signing ceremonies, and the private sector must play a role. While arguments and concerns about “brain drain” will undoubtedly persist, the undeniable reality is that Indian talent will continue to seek opportunities abroad for work and study or to settle down. So instead of attempting to stem this tide, which we may not be able to, we must proactively turn the global mobility tide in our favour. This means not only streamlining the process of “moving”, but smartly engineering tangible benefits for India – through the vital flow of remittances, which significantly bolster our economy, and the potential return of experienced, well-trained professionals who can enrich our economy.“As we observe the International Migrants Day today (18 December), which reaffirms “the need for safer, more inclusive, and fairer migration systems”, India, the world’s largest sender of migrants, has a special responsibility to ease the lives and work of its people wherever they are”.Happymon Jacob is distinguished visiting professor of Shiv Nadar University, the founder-director of Council for Strategic and Defense Research, and editor, INDIA’S WORLD magazine. The views expressed are personal.