India-Japan Partnership in Specified Skilled Worker

The Union Cabinet recently approved the Memorandum of Understanding between India and Japan on “Specified Skilled Worker”.

What are the Key Features of the MoU?

• Under the agreement, India will send skilled labours to Japan.
• The MoU will set an institutional framework for cooperation between India and Japan for accepting skilled workers. The only condition is that the workers should have qualified in the required skill test and in Japanese language test.
• According to the MoU, the qualified Indian workers can work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan. The Indian workers are to be provided new status of residence of “Specified Skilled Worker” according to the agreement.
• A joint Working Group is to be set up to implement the Memorandum of Understanding.
• The MoU will also enhance people to people contacts. Also, it will foster mobility of workers and skilled professionals from India to Japan.

What are the 14 sectors included in the MoU?

The fourteen sectors are Industrial machinery, building cleaning, nursing care, material processing industry, electric and electronic information related industry, industrial machinery manufacturing industry, shipbuilding and ship-related industry, aviation, automobile maintenance, lodging, aviation, fisheries, agriculture, food and beverages manufacturing industries, food service industry, construction.

What is India-Japan Nuclear Deal?

The Nuclear deal between India and Japan was signed in 2016. The deal raised concerns as India was a non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty member. The deal was very much needed for India as it was key to India’s deals with French and US nuclear firms that had stakes in Japan or were owned by Japanese firms.

What are the key India-Japan projects?

• In 2015, India agreed to introduce the Shinkansen system, the high-speed bullet train of Japan.
• India and Japan had formed Act East Forum that aims to expand the collaboration between India in North East and Japan.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2021