WorldSkills Shanghai 2026: India Sends Largest Ever Skills Delegation to Global Competition
Team India's 70 young competitors will showcase their talents across 63 skill categories in a competition running until September 26.
The 48th WorldSkills competition has commenced in Shanghai, featuring India's largest delegation to date. Seventy young competitors from Team India will compete globally across 63 different skill categories. The four-day competition began following an opening ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center, which saw the participation of approximately 1,400 competitors from over 65 countries and regions.
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang formally announced the start of the competition during the opening ceremony, while Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message. The Indian delegation was led by Ms. Manisha Sen Sharma, Senior Economic Adviser to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Mr. Dilip Kumar, Director General of the DGT and CEO of the National Skill Institute (NSO).
Director General of DGT Mr. Dilip Kumar stated that among the 70 candidates of Team India, 14 are from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). He noted that the participants reached this global platform after months of technical preparation, simulations, and mentoring from experts. Senior Economic Adviser Ms. Manisha Sen Sharma remarked that these candidates represent a skilled and confident India and have the opportunity to learn from some of the world's best professionals.
India has expanded its scope of participation this year, competing in 11 new skill categories for the first time. These include Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Landscape Gardening, Optoelectronic Technology, Retail Sales, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Industrial Mechanics, Software Testing, Heavy Vehicle Technology, and Aircraft Maintenance.
Organized every two years by WorldSkills International, this competition is the world's largest international platform in the field of vocational education and training. The event, which started at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, will run until September 26, with the closing ceremony scheduled for September 27. The event also includes the WorldSkills Expo and the WorldSkills Conference.
India aims to improve upon its performance from WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where the country won four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence.
