India needs 1.6 lakh c'struction managers by 2035

By 2035, India will require nearly 1.6 lakh additional construction project managers, marking a 67% rise from the present, as per the US-based Project Management Institute's recent Construction Talent Gap report. Ben Breen, Vice President of Gigaprojects at PMI and an expert on South Asia developments for over two decades, emphasized the urgent need to bolster construction project management skills nationwide.

The challenge lies not merely in the sheer volume of projects being undertaken. With India's accelerated investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, and urban development, projects are growing larger, more interconnected, and increasingly complex, Breen stated to PTI during the International Built Environment Week in Singapore from September 2-4.

Although India boasts a significant pool of engineering and technical talent, the nation's forthcoming growth phase will demand professionals proficient in leading intricate projects and programs from conception to completion. PMI will organize a project management conference in Bengaluru on October 3. The Project Management South Asia Conference 2026 will gather over 800 project leaders and representatives from more than 180 organizations under the theme "MORE, Together: Future-Ready in the Age of AI."