India has fielded its largest-ever contingent at the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition, with 70 young competitors participating across 63 skill categories. The competition began on September 23, 2026, following the Opening Ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center where Team India participated in the Parade of Nations alongside nearly 1,400 competitors from more than 65 countries and regions.
This year marks a significant expansion for India's participation, with the country competing for the first time in 11 new 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. Notably, 14 of the 70 competitors come from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
The Indian delegation leadership includes Ms. Manisha Sensharma, Official Delegate of WorldSkills India and Senior Economic Adviser at the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General of DGT and CEO of National Skill Organization (NSO). The competitors underwent months of intensive technical preparation, repeated simulations, and close mentoring by experts and industry partners leading up to the event.
The WorldSkills Competition, organized every two years by WorldSkills International, is the world's largest international platform for vocational education, training, and skills excellence. The skill competitions are being held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai and will continue until September 26, followed by the Closing Ceremony on September 27. India aims to build on its previous performance at WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where the country secured four bronze medals and 12 Medallions for Excellence.