Ashutosh Dutt Sharma’s IVLP experience highlights how Quad collaboration supports efforts to build a tech-skilled workforce in critical technologies across the Indo-Pacific.
By Syed Sulaiman Akhtar, SPAN Magazine, U.S. Embassy
As countries invest in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and cybersecurity, the United States and India—together with their Quad partners Australia and Japan—are deepening cooperation on workforce development. This includes building connections among universities, industry and government to prepare a future-ready workforce across the Indo-Pacific. One example of this collaboration is the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) , which facilitates professional exchanges in critical and emerging fields.
The IVLP is the U.S. Department of State’s foundational professional exchange program and builds long-term relationships between Americans and international leaders across different fields.
In 2024, Ashutosh Dutt Sharma, chief executive officer of the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), participated in an IVLP on “Workforce Development for Critical and Emerging Technologies in the Quad,” an experience that has shaped his perspective on international collaboration in building future-ready workforces.
A foundation for innovation
Cobotics, or collaborative robotics, refers to technologies that enable humans and robots to work together—a field that represents the convergence of multiple cutting-edge disciplines.
“IHFC’s mission is to support research, innovation, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and entrepreneurship in the field of cobotics,” Sharma explains. The foundation promotes entrepreneurship and research in technology areas like AI, robotics and machine learning, running fellowship, mentorship and internship programs for students and start-ups, along with skill-building workshops to help deep-tech ventures grow.
IHFC contributes to India’s growing innovation ecosystem through its support for deep-tech ventures and education programs. Currently, the foundation supports 38 research-led start-ups that develop advanced technologies to create positive social impact. Beyond supporting established ventures, IHFC conducts STEM outreach in schools to spark early interest in cobotics and technology careers, building the foundation for tomorrow’s workforce.
A transformative international experience
Sharma’s participation in the IVLP provided crucial insights into how different nations approach workforce development in critical technologies.
“Participating in the IVLP was a transformative experience,” he reflects. “As an inter-regional project with participants from Australia, India and Japan, it provided an opportunity to see how the United States is preparing a modern, technically capable workforce which can work on critical and emerging technologies.”
The program allowed participants to explore how the United States develops its workforce in areas essential to national security and technological competitiveness. Sharma and his fellow participants gained first-hand exposure to emerging fields like AI, robotics, quantum computing and cybersecurity.
Through interactions with experts and organizations, the program revealed both challenges and practical solutions facing the Quad nations. “Notably, there was strong alignment across Quad nations on the importance of strengthening industry-academia-government partnerships,” Sharma notes.
Practical insights
The IVLP experience highlighted several key approaches that the United States employs in preparing its workforce for emerging technologies. Sharma identified competency-based training and certifications as crucial tools for bridging the gap between academic curricula and industry needs.
“The use of replicable models like Co-Innovation Centers (CIC) to support continuous learning, and the critical role of industry partnerships also stood out,” he observes. These insights have informed aspects of IHFC’s ongoing approach to workforce development in India.
Sharma has applied these learnings through certification programs, lab-to-market initiatives, and Centers of Excellence like the Drone Tech Park and Medical Cobotics Centre. The foundation promotes applied innovation through robotics competitions and supports early-stage entrepreneurs while focusing on lifelong learning by offering upskilling opportunities, scalable training programs and strong partnerships that remain relevant both in India and globally.
A vision for collaboration
In the February 2025 U.S.-India Joint Leaders’ Statement , President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed their commitment to developing a future-ready workforce through stronger international academic collaborations. They pledged to expand collaborations between higher education institutions through joint degree programs, Centers of Excellence and offshore campuses of premier educational institutions of the United States in India.
Sharma believes there is great potential for collaborative efforts among the Quad nations. “The Quad holds strong potential to become a global model for collaborative tech education and workforce development,” he states. “By aligning efforts, the Quad nations can establish cross-border Centers of Excellence, promote joint research and development and student exchange programs, and develop shared training standards and certifications.”
He sees collaboration on technology ethics as another avenue that can enhance national initiatives and help build a resilient, future-ready workforce across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Such collaboration can support not only technical training but also conversations around ethical frameworks for responsible innovation in emerging technologies.