India must become talent hub post-Covid to draw global investments: Nasscom

IT body chief says it is launching a Rs 436-crore reskilling project on PPP basis to help build digital fluencies in emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity

India's information technology industry must prioritise on realigning existing talent with emerging technologies and drive innovation to stand out in the post-pandemic world.

"I want India to be the hub for digital talent and innovation-—two elements that are going to be critical in the hyper-digital economy going forward," said Debjani Ghosh, president, Nasscom. "We already have an absolute advantage in terms of talent but we need to do a lot of work in innovation space like ensuring a right policy framework to take risks, try new things and make it easy for filing patents in India," she said while speaking virtually at Women In Technology India conference. 

The Indian government and Nasscom are planning to launch a public-private partnership called "Future Skills Prime" for digital skilling by the end of 2020, she added. The Rs 436-crore reskilling project was approved and expanded in December last year with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity). It will help in building digital fluencies in emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity), online upskilling in identified skill gaps and competencies of professionals. 

"Our goal is to train as many people as possible where digital skills will be required and not just IT professionals. If India is the hub for digital innovation and talent, global investments will come here," Ghosh added.

The former Intel executive also said industry and the government being forced to take a relook at full-fledged policy reforms as the only "silver lining" due to the pandemic.