A new milestone in South-South cooperation is emerging as India strengthens its role as a funding partner in a global initiative to improve how occupations, skills and qualifications are understood across labour markets. The project, implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), aims to assess the feasibility of an international reference classification linking occupations with the skills and qualifications they require.
The initiative was launched in the context of the G20 Employment Working Group and is funded by the governments of India and Germany for the period 2025–2027. By contributing financially and co-chairing the project’s advisory structure, India demonstrates the growing leadership of the Global South in shaping international labour market tools and knowledge systems.
The first meeting of the Project Advisory Group (PAG) took place virtually on 10 March 2026, bringing together representatives from governments, international organizations and leading employment services. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Ajoy Sharma of India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment and gathered partners from Brazil, France, Belgium (Flanders), the European Union, the ILO and the OECD.
Participants reviewed the project’s workplan and discussed early analytical work, including approaches to mapping occupations across existing skills taxonomies and identifying priority occupations in the green and digital economies. The initiative will explore how a shared framework could help policymakers, employment services and training institutions better compare skills needs across countries and respond to changing labour markets.
India’s role is particularly significant in the context of strengthening collaboration among countries of the Global South. As a member of BRICS and an emerging funding partner for international labour initiatives, India’s engagement reflects a growing trend: countries from the Global South are not only beneficiaries of global cooperation but also key contributors to shaping it. Through its financial support and leadership within the PAG, India is helping ensure that future global skills frameworks remain practical, inclusive and relevant for diverse national contexts.
Over the next two years, the project will review existing national and regional taxonomies, develop a prototype international classification for selected occupations, and pilot it in participating countries. The work will combine data analysis with expert validation to ensure that the resulting framework reflects real labour market needs.
The initiative represents a promising example of how partnerships between international organizations, advanced economies and emerging economies can jointly develop global public goods that benefit workers, employers and policymakers worldwide.