The European Legal Gateway Office in India brought together representatives from government, EU institutions and Member States, industry, skills development, higher education and research for its Partnership Building Workshop in New Delhi on 13 October 2026. Discussions explored how partnerships can connect Indian ICT professionals, students and researchers with opportunities in the EU through better information, employer engagement and institutional cooperation.
The focus was on how the European Legal Gateway Office and participating organisations could build on existing initiatives to address practical questions about mobility, from understanding employers’ requirements to finding relevant study programmes and research opportunities. The Gateway Office, therefore, can attract talent from across India
Our workers and professionals come from all parts of the country, including Tier 1, 2 & 3 cities and rural areas. When mobility is legal and formal, it benefits all – the worker, the employer, and both societies.said Pooja Madan Tillu, Joint Secretary for Emigration Policy and Welfare Division, at the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
Launched in February 2026, the European Legal Gateway Office in India is a flagship pilot initiative of the EU, implemented by ICMPD under the framework of the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF). Part of wider EU-India cooperation on mobility, it aims to facilitate safe, legal and well-informed migration and mobility in the ICT sector.
Talent mobility is an important enabler of our broader EU-India relationship. At the heart of the Legal Gateway Initiative is a simple but important objective: to help Indian talent effectively navigate European opportunities in the ICT sector. The Legal Gateway Initiative doesn’t deliver just politically but it also adds value to students, researchers and entrepreneurs to understand where opportunities can materialise.said Jean-Eric Paquet, EU Ambassador to India and Bhutan.
Understanding EU labour-market demand and the availability of relevant skills and talent in India was central to the exchanges. Beyond identifying vacancies, prospective candidates need clear information on legal mobility pathways, job requirements, and documentation requirements. Employers, in turn, need ways to reach and engage suitable candidates. Representatives from NASSCOM, the Federation of European Businesses in India (FEBI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), SAP, the National Council for Vocational Education and Training and Business Finland discussed how cooperation with industry and skills development organisations can help connect Indian ICT talent with EU labour-market needs.
Alongside immediate workforce needs, the workshop considered how academic and research mobility can support longer-term ICT skills development. Representatives from the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Utkal University, the Embassy of Italy and EURAXESS explored barriers affecting students and researchers, particularly limited awareness of available opportunities and gaps in cooperation between institutions, in emerging and advanced ICT fields.
Across employment and education, a shared consideration was how to make guidance more accessible through organisations people already approach for support. Industry associations, universities and research networks can help bring the European Legal Gateway Office in India’s services to relevant audiences, while their experience can inform its outreach and activities.
Partnerships are at the heart of the Gateway’s success. The initiative is intended to complement and build on the considerable work already being undertaken by Indian institutions, European Union Member States, businesses, universities, skill organisations and other actors. Our ambition is not to duplicate these efforts, but to create stronger connections between them and identify where the Gateway can add value.said Enrico Ragaglia, Regional Portfolio Manager, Silk Routes Regional Office, ICMPD.
The discussion gave this potential cooperation a practical focus by examining opportunities for partners to contribute to Virtual Open House sessions, ICT Career Accelerator Workshops, Career Connect Camps, Tech Roadshows and Job Fairs. It also considered how the European Legal Gateway Office in India’s digital platform could be linked through existing professional and institutional information channels.
The workshop provided an opportunity for the European Legal Gateway Office in India and participating organisations to explore how their expertise, networks and activities could complement one another. These exchanges will help inform the Office’s work with partners to support Indian ICT professionals, students and researchers in making informed decisions about mobility to the EU, while helping EU-based employers and higher education institutions connect with Indian ICT talent.
Group photo of Welcoming Remarks and Opening remarks speakers and senior officials standing in following order from left to right: Dr. Surabhi Singh, Project Manager and Country Coordinator for India; Enrico Ragaglia, Regional Portfolio Manager, Silk Routes Regional Office (South and West Asia), ICMPD; Pooja Madan Tillu, Joint Secretary, Emigration Policy and Welfare Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; H.E Jean-Eric Paquet, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to India and Bhutan.