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3 min readNew DelhiFeb 18, 2026 08:29 PM IST
Jaishankar said the adoption of the 2030 strategic agenda opens up “a new chapter in our ties – towards mutual prosperity, security and sustainability. (File Photo)
India’s recent international engagements reflect a consistent belief that global challenges require connected societies and cooperative solutions, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, on the day the first European Legal Gateway Office opened in New Delhi. “Talent mobility, when responsibly promoted, is part of that solution,” he noted.
The launch took place in the presence of Henna Virkkunen, EU Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, and representatives of various EU Member States. It is the EU’s first such office in a partner country and will help Indian students, researchers and professionals in the ICT sector with clear and reliable information on mobility pathways and skills and qualification requirements across all 27 member states.
The European Legal Gateway Office in India will operate through a Support Office in the EU and a digital tool that will function as a one-stop hub for clear and reliable information on work, study, and research mobility opportunities, said a statement issued by the Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan on Wednesday.
The pilot was announced at the 16th EU-India Summit held on January 27 in New Delhi by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and also figured in the joint statement on the new EU-India Strategic Agenda.
Jaishankar said the adoption of the 2030 strategic agenda opens up “a new chapter in our ties – towards mutual prosperity, security and sustainability, and in that, we recognise the key role of talent, skills and knowledge”. During the summit, the two sides had signed the Comprehensive Framework for Cooperation on Mobility, and the Legal Gateway Office has been opened in line with that.
“The concept of a global workforce is an emerging reality. Countries that can connect talent flows with seizing opportunities, while ensuring legality, transparency and fairness, will be best positioned to navigate this transition,” the minister said.
He added that 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. “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 added.
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At the event, Virkkunen said, “Digital skills are the backbone of the digital transition. European companies will be able to tap into this larger pool of talent, which will help to strengthen European competitiveness.” In a post on X, Ambassador of the European Union to India Herve Delphin called it a landmark step in connecting the labour markets of both regions, with a primary focus on the technology sector.
Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More
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