India's Largest-Ever Team Begins WorldSkills Campaign in Shanghai
India's 70-member contingent has started competing at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 across 63 skills, with 11 new categories added to its roster.
Competition got underway at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 on Wednesday, with India fielding its largest-ever contingent of 70 young competitors across 63 skill categories. The four-day contest follows an Opening Ceremony held the previous evening, where the Indian team joined the Parade of Nations.
Nearly 1,400 competitors from more than 65 countries and regions gathered at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center for the ceremony, which marked the formal start of the 48th WorldSkills Competition. The Indian contingent marched into the arena carrying the national flag and wearing Team India colours.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter that was read out at the event, while Premier Li Qiang attended and declared the competition open.
Leading the Indian delegation were Ms. Manisha Sensharma, Official Delegate for WorldSkills India and Senior Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General of the Directorate General of Training and CEO of the National Skill Organization. They were joined by competitors, experts and mentors.
Shri Dilip Kumar said the competitors had arrived in Shanghai after months of intensive technical preparation, repeated simulations and close mentoring by experts and industry partners. He noted that 14 of the 70 candidates come from Industrial Training Institutes, and said the focus now is on precision, composure and consistent performance over the four competition days.
Ms. Sensharma described the march past as a moment of immense pride, saying each of the 70 competitors represents the aspirations of a skilled and confident India. She said the competition gives them a chance to benchmark their capabilities against the world's best, learn from global peers and demonstrate the depth of talent in India's skilling ecosystem.
India's participation has expanded in both scale and scope this year. For the first time, the country is competing in 11 skill categories: Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Intelligent Security Technology, Landscape Gardening, Optoelectronic Technology, Retail Sales, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Industrial Mechanics, Software Testing, Heavy Vehicle Technology and Aircraft Maintenance.
The contingent was selected through a rigorous process and months of specialised training and practice at international standards, with support from State Governments, Sector Skill Councils, training institutions, industry partners, experts and mentors.
Held every two years by WorldSkills International, the competition is the world's largest platform for vocational education, training and skills excellence. It allows young professionals to demonstrate technical expertise, precision, creativity, craftsmanship and innovation while measuring themselves against global standards.
The skill contests began at 9:00 a.m. at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai and will run until 26 September, with the Closing Ceremony scheduled for 27 September. The event also includes the WorldSkills Expo and the WorldSkills Conference, which bring together young people, policymakers, educators and industry leaders.
India will look to build on its showing at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where it won four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence.