New Delhi, Sep 14 (FN Agency) Keeping in mind the mobility of Indian professionals abroad, while adhering to the norms of safe and legal migration, India has negotiated Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreements (MMPA) with several countries, including France, Germany, Denmark, UK, and Portugal, a top official said on Tuesday, adding that a new Emigration Bill will soon be in Parliament for approval. Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary (CPV & OIA) of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that with the European Union, India began a dialogue for the India-EU Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM). “We discussed, among other issues, options for the mobility of Indian professionals, while adhering to norms of safe and legal migration.” India has since then, negotiated Mobility and Migration Partnership Agreements (MMPA) with France, Germany, Denmark, UK, Benelux, Portugal and others. MMPAs provided, on bilateral terms, avenues for Indian professionals to work in the EU, Indian students to stay in the EU for work after their graduation and Indian youth to undertake internships, he said. “Some MMPAs also provided for the movement of skilled workers.
Similarly, the Special Skilled Workers MOU with Japan was path breaking in opening new vistas for Indian workers,” the official said, adding that India is working for similar facilitation in Korea, Taiwan and Mauritius. “Coupled with Social Security Agreements, mobility partnerships with the developed world provide win-win solutions, leveraging our demographic dividend for better remuneration and exposure to high technology, while filling gaps in destination countries.” He said the migration ecosystem of the future will be dynamic and India will have to respond to demand, technology and opportunity; coordinate policies with the Gulf region and new destinations, develop new age skills for countries getting older or facing skill shortfall, be aligned with the Global Compact for Migration, and promote safe, legal and smart migration.
He said a new Emigration Bill will soon be in Parliament, for approval. “It will provide a simplified structure for transparent and dynamic interplay of all stakeholders. For the integration and alignment of our domestic priorities with our external environment, it is crucial that our emigration policy be mainstreamed in development process,” Bhattacharyya added. He said owing to the information revolution, in the era of data and new industry, there has been tectonic shifts in economic systems and in technology and innovation. And the Covid pandemic has exacerbated the situation. “Migration and mobility had to adjust to the new normal. Two trends were discernible – first, there was need for skilling and second, new destinations were emerging – thus new partnerships were needed,” he added.
In the Gulf, where most Indian workers went, there was economic churn, localisation and changing pattern of labour demand. “However, Indian workers remained their preferred choice and Indians too found it comfortable terrain,” he said adding that India has entered into a new government-government with Gulf partners to maintain our privileged status and provided wider welfare measures to the vulnerable. The integration of the online migration platforms, which began with the UAE and Saudi Arabia and was extended to other GCC countries, ensured transparency of information and security of terms of employment. “We noticed increase in demand for certain skills, especially in health, logistics, IT and new industry. Moreover, high-tech and data services saw a boom, helping them rise up the value chain. Stakeholder consultations were enhanced for agility and efficiency to provide the right person at the right time to the right place,” he added, addressing the inaugural session of the 2nd Edition of FICCI LEADS on the theme ‘Future of Partnership’.