India a lab for global good, has reservoir of talent: Pradhan at B20 meet

India is a laboratory for global good and carries a reservoir of talent, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday.

Addressing the B20 Summit India on the theme "Aligning Education to Emerging Imperatives", Pradhan said education is the mothership that will drive all growth.

"India is a laboratory for global good which comes from our civilisational values of Vasudhaiv Kutumbukam India's aspirations are for achieving global good and wellbeing. Education is the mothership that will drive all growth and, as a knowledge civilisation, India carries a reservoir of talent," Pradhan said.

Speaking about initiatives in the education sector, Pradhan said the National Education Policy, 2020, which is rooted both in Indian values and is futuristic, is preparing students for the 21st century.

He spoke about the various initiatives such as integration of education and skill, learning in the mother tongue and efforts to achieve 100 per cent enrolment in the knowledge ecosystem in schools, skill sector and higher education institutions.

"India's strength is its democracy, demography and diversity. India is making rapid progress in the dynamic sectors of energy, agriculture and food security and digitisation," the education minister said.

Calling it a "Modi guarantee", Pradhan said India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers unprecedented stability and certainty for businesses to thrive.

"India is future-ready, poised to drive global growth and has very strong macro-economic fundamentals," he said.

The minister noted that education and business verticals are symbiotic with businesses needing skilled and knowledgeable manpower and educated and skilled youth needing jobs.

He also called for building a strong interface between the two sectors.

Pradhan further underlined India's achievements in digitisation, sustainable development, agri and food processing and entrepreneurship.

He also met industry leaders, including General Atomics CEO Dr Vivek Lall, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, US-India Business Council President Atul Keshap, Warner Brothers GM (South Asia) Arjun Nohwar and Kyndryl Chairman and CEO Marin Schroeder and discussed topics ranging from the future of work, emerging technologies, Skill India, Digital India, innovation and research.