New Delhi: The Godrej Foundation, in collaboration with The Convergence Foundation and industry leader Manish Sabharwal, has announced the official launch of the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation — a strategic nonprofit initiative aimed at positioning India as a premier global hub for skilled workforce export.
The high-level launch event was graced by Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, as Chief Guest, and Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, as Guest of Honour.
Godrej Foundation Initiative
The initiative marks a key moment in India’s efforts to address global labour shortages while simultaneously uplifting its own workforce.
GATI Foundation is committed to establishing ethical, structured, and circular pathways for global talent mobility, at a time when high-income economies are projected to face a shortfall of 45–50 million skilled and semi-skilled workers by 2030.
The Foundation aims to bridge this gap by unlocking international opportunities for Indian workers through partnerships with governments, businesses, and nonprofits.
The launch brought together international diplomats, policymakers, industry leaders, and think tanks for discussions on pressing themes such as government-to-government labour agreements, ethical recruitment, and private-sector-driven global skills mobility frameworks.
“In a world where crossing a border can increase earning potential tenfold, labour mobility becomes not just an economic strategy, but a development imperative,” said Omar Momin, CEO of Godrej Foundation. “GATI enables India to drive global prosperity while ensuring that migration is safe, ethical, and mutually beneficial.”
Ashish Dhawan, Founder and CEO of The Convergence Foundation, emphasized that over 700,000 Indians migrate annually for work, with 60% concentrated in GCC nations. He noted that with better coordination and diversification, India can increase this number to 2–2.5 million migrants per year, boosting remittances to $300 billion, and directly impacting poverty reduction, health, and education.
Manish Sabharwal, Vice Chairman of TeamLease Services, underscored the economic urgency: “GATI is an idea whose time has come. We must shift the conversation from illegal migration to legal mobility, from citizenship to employment. For developed nations, sustainable growth is unachievable without migration. Well-designed guest worker programs are a critical component of global prosperity in the decades ahead.”
The GATI Foundation, incubated by The Convergence Foundation, Godrej Foundation, and Manish Sabharwal, is set to champion reforms and implement scalable models to position India as a trusted, high-quality source of skilled global talent.
