Interest in Indian talent is one of the most frequent themes in conversations with foreign governments and corporates, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Aditya Birla Scholarships in Mumbai on Sunday.

“The interest in Indian talent is probably the most frequent theme in our conversations with foreign governments and corporates,” Jaishankar said, highlighting the growing global demand for skilled Indian workforce. India has signed mobility agreements with more than 20 nations to ensure better access and fair treatment for its professionals abroad.

The minister emphasised that a “better educated, skilled, and confident generation of Indians” would be crucial in meeting this international demand, particularly as technological advances require greater human talent while many societies face skills shortages.

Speaking at the event, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said, “The Aditya Birla Scholarship is a microcosm of India’s immense talent. The extraordinary success of the program, as measured by the achievements of our scholars over the years, only indicates that ultimately investment in talent is what shapes the future.”

The scholarship program, which began in 1999, has selected 781 scholars to date across engineering, management, and law disciplines. This year, 48 scholars were chosen from 389 applicants after a thorough selection process. Over this period, the program has evaluated more than 10,000 applications.

The program partners with 22 premier institutions, including select IITs, BITS Pilani, leading IIMs, XLRI, and National Law Schools. Notable for achieving 30% women representation in its scholar community, the program evaluates candidates through a distinguished jury panel including Dr. Mashelkar, Dr. Kakodkar, Justice Srikrishna, Dr. Kasturi Rangan, and Dr. Ajit Mohanty.

Jaishankar also addressed India’s growing economic influence, stating that the country is “certain to be third by the end of the decade” among global economies. He emphasized that foreign policy now has a fundamental purpose of advancing national development alongside ensuring national security.

The event was also attended by Harvard political philosopher Professor Michael J. Sandel.

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