Team India Begins WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 Campaign
70 Indian competitors to compete across 63 skills as four-day global competition begins
- Team India has 70 competitors across 63 skills.
- 14 competitors are from Industrial Training Institutes.
- India is participating in 11 new skill categories.
- Competitions continue through September 26, followed by the closing ceremony on September 27.
GG News Bureau
Shanghai, 23rd Sept: India’s largest-ever contingent of 70 young competitors has begun its campaign at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, competing across 63 skill categories at the 48th WorldSkills Competition.
The Indian contingent participated in the Opening Ceremony and Parade of Nations at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center on Tuesday, alongside nearly 1,400 competitors from more than 65 countries and regions.
The competition began on Wednesday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai and will continue until September 26. The Closing Ceremony is scheduled for September 27.
The opening ceremony also saw the participation of Indian delegation leaders, including Manisha Sensharma, Official Delegate, WorldSkills India and Senior Economic Adviser, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training (DGT) and CEO, National Skill Organization (NSO).
Dilip Kumar said the Indian competitors had undergone months of technical preparation, simulations and mentoring by experts and industry partners.
“Our competitors have reached Shanghai after months of intensive technical preparation, repeated simulations and close mentoring by experts and industry partners,” he said, adding that 14 of the 70 competitors are from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
He said the focus during the competition would be on precision, composure and consistent performance over the four competition days.
Manisha Sensharma said the participation of the 70-member contingent reflected the aspirations of a skilled India and provided competitors an opportunity to benchmark their capabilities against international peers.
India expands participation across new skills
India is competing in 11 new skill categories at the Shanghai competition. 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.
The competitors were selected through a rigorous process and underwent specialised training and international-standard preparation with support from state governments, Sector Skill Councils, training institutions, industry partners, experts and mentors.
Global platform for skills excellence
WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 is organised by WorldSkills International, which conducts the global skills competition every two years. The event brings together young professionals to demonstrate technical expertise, precision, creativity, craftsmanship and innovation while benchmarking their capabilities against international standards.
Alongside the competitions, Shanghai is hosting the WorldSkills Expo and WorldSkills Conference, bringing together policymakers, educators, industry representatives and young professionals to discuss skills development and the future of technical and vocational education.
China’s President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the competition, which was read at the opening ceremony. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the ceremony and formally declared the competition open.
Building on Lyon 2024 performance
Team India is seeking to build on its performance at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where Indian competitors won four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence.
The Shanghai competition provides India’s young skilled professionals an international platform to demonstrate their capabilities and compete against talent from across the world.
