NEW DELHI — In a major push to leverage India’s demographic dividend for national growth, the Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports organized the Industry Association Conclave at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi today, July 3, 2026.
The high-level conclave brought together senior government functionaries alongside over 20 top-tier industry associations, public sector enterprises, corporate houses, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) organizations. The primary objective was to forge strategic public-private partnerships through the government’s flagship MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) digital ecosystem.
The Demographics & Vision
The central theme of the conclave focused on accelerating India’s transition into Viksit Bharat@2047 by expanding youth avenues in skilling, internships, experiential volunteering, innovation, and grass-roots entrepreneurship.
“Nearly 65 percent of India’s population is below the age of 35. Our youth are India’s greatest strength and soft power. By connecting them with industry through the MY Bharat Platform, we can unlock their potential and accelerate our development journey.” — Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, and Labour & Employment
Key Ministerial & Executive Directives
1. Single-Window Opportunities
Dr. Mandaviya highlighted that the MY Bharat Digital Platform, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acts as a decentralized single-window marketplace connecting young citizens with nationwide projects. The Minister explicitly called on corporate India to:
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Align CSR budgets with structured experiential learning and entrepreneurship bootcamps.
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Intensify youth engagement around active industrial clusters.
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Partner in developing frontier borders by deploying MY Bharat volunteers across designated Vibrant Villages.
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Run collaborative campaigns against youth substance abuse to channel civic energy into constructive nation-building.
2. Regional Inclusivity & Citizenship
Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, emphasized that the platform transcends geographic barriers, serving as a tech bridge for youth located even in remote, underserved pockets of the country. She reiterated that youth development extends beyond standard employability to nurturing responsible, community-driven civic actors.
3. Beyond Employability: Practical Incubation
Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil, Secretary (Department of Youth Affairs), and Ms. Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, Secretary (Ministry of Corporate Affairs), urged member industries to utilize the platform’s robust architecture to host:
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Lined up corporate internships and executive mentorships.
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Tech-centric hackathons and advanced coding competitions.
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Innovation challenges aimed at capturing fresh engineering and management talent early.
Participating Corporate & Industry Heavyweights
The roundtable featured collaborative deliberations on onboarding mechanisms from an array of India’s apex commercial networks, including:
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Apex Chambers: CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHDCCI.
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Tech & Digital Leads: NASSCOM.
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Financial & MSME Networks: Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), India SME Forum, and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).
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Industrial & Trade Bodies: IPA, ISPA, SIA, NHRDN, WTC Mumbai, and AIAI.
The conclave concluded with a unified commitment to immediately begin onboarding member enterprises onto the MY Bharat interface, building a comprehensive national database to link talent directly with corporate supply chains.
