Centre to set up high-powered panel to promote services sector

New Delhi: The government on Sunday announced the formation of a high-powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ standing committee to recommend measures aimed at strengthening India’s services sector.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the initiative is part of the country’s vision to become a global leader in services, targeting a 10 per cent share of the global market by 2047.

“The committee will focus on optimising growth, employment, and exports, and assess the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and skills,” Sitharaman said.

The services sector contrib-utes over 50 per cent to India’s GDP and exports. During April–December 2025, service exports were estimated at $303.97 billion, up from $285.53 billion in the same period of 2024, while imports stood at $152.23 billion.

The services trade surplus reached $151.74 billion, compared to $135.52 billion previ-ously. IT and ITeS account for over 60 per cent of total shipments.

The committee’s terms of reference include identifying sub-sectors with growth potential, addressing regulatory gaps, and proposing measures to boost employment and exports. It will also recommend embedding AI in school curricula, upgrading teacher training institutes, and facilitating upskilling of technology professionals.

Further, it will explore AI-enabled job and training matching, formalising in-formal workflows, and attracting skilled diaspora and foreign talent. Experts believe the move could significantly enhance India’s competitiveness in services while preparing the workforce for emerging technology-driven opportunities.