The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, today organized the PM-SETU Industry Conclave in Lucknow, bringing together senior representatives from government, industry, multilateral institutions, defence public sector enterprises, sector skill councils and skilling stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening industry participation in vocational education and transforming Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into world-class centres of excellence.

The conclave was graced by of Minister of Defence Shri Rajnath Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Brajesh Pathak and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Kapil Dev Agarwal. Senior officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Defence, Government of Uttar Pradesh and industry leaders participated in the discussions.

The event witnessed participation from senior leadership of leading defence and manufacturing organizations including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), BrahMos Aerospace, Troop Comforts Limited (TCL), Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), Gliders India Limited (GIL), Ashok Leyland, NSDC, TCIL, PTC, along with representatives from the World Bank, industry associations and other strategic stakeholders.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized that India’s journey towards becoming a global manufacturing and technology powerhouse would be driven by the availability of highly skilled manpower. He highlighted that sectors such as defence manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, drones, robotics, precision engineering and automation are witnessing rapid technological advancements and require a workforce equipped with future-ready skills. He underscored that a strong domestic defence industrial base and a strong skilling ecosystem must grow together to support India’s aspirations for self-reliance and technological leadership.

The Defence Minister highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s emergence as a major hub for manufacturing and defence production, driven by the rapid growth of its industrial ecosystem and the Defence Corridor. Emphasizing the importance of stronger industry-academia linkages, he noted that collaboration between industry and training institutions is crucial to equip youth with future-ready skills and expressed confidence that such partnerships would steer the state in the right direction. He further remarked that under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is witnessing transformative development across multiple sectors.

Stressing that the availability of a skilled workforce is fundamental to nation-building, he reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of converting India’s demographic dividend into a productive dividend. He underscored the need to align the skilling ecosystem with industry requirements, stating that skill certificates hold value only when they lead to meaningful employment. Calling upon industries to view PM-SETU as a collaborative mission rather than merely a government scheme, he urged them to actively participate in shaping the workforce that will ultimately serve their own growth and competitiveness.

He appealed to Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and other defence-related organizations to actively partner in the PM-SETU initiative, while also stressing the need to transform ITIs and strengthen apprenticeship opportunities. Concluding, he stated that the success of PM-SETU should be measured not by the number of machines installed, but by the employment opportunities it creates and the lives it positively impacts.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jayant Chaudhary said that PM-SETU represents a new partnership model between government, industry and training institutions. He emphasized that the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between training and employment by enabling industries to play an active role in the development, governance and operation of ITI clusters. He highlighted that the programme aims to create a future-ready workforce through industry-aligned training, modern infrastructure, apprenticeship opportunities and pathways for entrepreneurship.

Underscoring the strategic importance of the defence sector in achieving global competitiveness, he highlighted that the industry’s reliance on technology and innovation makes this scheme both timely and relevant. He called upon industries to go beyond CSR initiatives and take active ownership of ITIs to strengthen the skilling landscape.

Deputy Chief Minister Shri Brajesh Pathak assured full support to participating industries and emphasized the government’s continued focus on strengthening the skilling ecosystem as a key driver towards realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat.

Shri Kapil Dev Agrawal, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said that Uttar Pradesh is committed to strengthening its skilling ecosystem to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding industrial and manufacturing base. Referring to the state’s extensive network of government ITIs and the identification of eight PM-SETU clusters in Uttar Pradesh, he noted that the initiative provides a unique opportunity to align vocational training with industry requirements and emerging technologies.

Welcoming the participants, Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General -Training, highlighted the transformational potential of PM-SETU in creating a deeper and more structured engagement between industry and the skilling ecosystem. He noted that the initiative empowers Anchor Industry Partners (AIPs) to actively contribute to the growth and modernization of ITI clusters, ensuring direct alignment between institutional outcomes and industry requirements.

Dr. Hari Om, Principal Secretary, Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, highlighted the significant opportunities the state offers for strengthening the skilling ecosystem and called upon industry leaders to play an active role in supporting these efforts. Smt. Manasi Sahay Thakur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), presented an insightful overview of PM-SETU, helping the audience gain a deeper understanding of the program and its vision.

Addressing the audience, Shri Vijay Karan Anand, Chief Executive Officer, Invest UP, underscored the far-reaching benefits of the scheme and called upon officials and stakeholders to proactively participate in its rollout. He emphasized the importance of strong partnerships in realizing the scheme’s vision and maximizing its impact across the state.

Representatives from defence public sector undertakings and strategic industries highlighted the growing demand for skilled technicians in areas such as aerospace systems, shipbuilding, electronics manufacturing, precision engineering, defence production, advanced welding, mechatronics and drone technologies. Industry participants reiterated their commitment to partnering with government to create sustainable talent pipelines through industry-led skilling models.

Under the PM-SETU Scheme, cluster projects comprising one Hub ITI and four Spoke ITIs can attract investments of up to ₹241 crore, supported through a funding pattern of 50% from the Government of India, 33% from State Governments and 17% from Industry Partners. Unlike traditional partnership models, the proposed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) structure provides 51% ownership to Anchor Industry Partners, while the Centre and State Governments hold 24.5% ownership each, ensuring meaningful industry leadership in cluster development and operations. In UP so far, 32 ITIs in 8 Clusters have already been identified out of which seven are still open for collaboration.

The conclave was informed that approved Industry Partnership proposals under PM-SETU currently represent more than ₹1,500 crore of committed industry-led investment across seven clusters in five states, with several additional proposals under consideration.

During the event, NSDC and the Lucknow Cantonment Board signed an MoU to establish Shaurya Academy, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at preparing youth for careers in the Armed Forces, Police, and other uniformed services.

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