India plans newer bases for overseas jobs

India expects to explore new grounds in the overseas job scenario through increasing number of mobility partnerships with newer nations especially Europe.

"Mobility partnership is a new instrument and we intend to sign more agreements with European nations," G Gurucharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, told reporters.

India has recently inked an agreement with Denmark while it will be soon signed with countries like Sweden, France, Netherland and others, he said.

The partnership agreements will explore newer bases for overseas job market in European countries diversifying from the traditional market of Gulf countries.

Gurucharan was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the 8th Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) conference of Directors General of Imigration on management of migratory flows which is undergoing at Goa.

In all 68 delegates from 32 countries are participating in the two-day long conference, which will have several sessions on issues related to migration in the current perspective.

"The focus is to diversify the destination base," he said talking to reporters in presence of Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat.

Gurucharan said that the focus of mobility partnership is to provide the skilled and semi-skilled manpower requirement to the respective countries through bi-lateral ties.

"It's an instrument which provides for the co-operation between nations and getting direct connect between recruit and employer without a middleman's intervention," he added.