India has recorded a landmark achievement in expanding social security coverage, now reaching over 940 million people, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). With a significant 45-percentage-point increase since 2015, India has secured the second-highest global ranking for social protection coverage on the ILO’s dashboard.
Latest data from the ILO shows that India’s coverage surged from just 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, marking one of the fastest expansions of social protection seen worldwide. This progress reflects substantial policy efforts and targeted welfare schemes aimed at vulnerable populations over the past decade.
The ILO has officially acknowledged India’s progress, highlighting that 64.3% of the country’s population is now covered under at least one form of social protection benefit. This includes benefits such as pensions, maternity coverage, or unemployment support, and meets the ILO’s criteria, which require that schemes be legislatively backed, cash-based, active, and supported by verified three-year data.
During bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya briefed ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo on India’s wide-ranging welfare programs. He emphasized the central role of pro-poor and labour-centric initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Mandaviya also discussed India’s Social Protection Data Pooling Exercise—a collaborative effort with the ILO that forms the foundation of this recognition. The current data reflects Phase I of the exercise, focusing on centrally sponsored and women-oriented schemes across eight states. Phase II, currently underway, is expected to push India’s coverage beyond the 1 billion mark after further validation by the ILO.
“This milestone is a testament to Prime Minister Modi’s visionary governance and the government’s relentless push to build an inclusive, rights-based social protection system,” Mandaviya said. “Our approach is grounded in the principle of Antyodaya—empowering the most marginalized and ensuring no one is left behind.”
India is also the first country to update its 2025 coverage data in the ILOSTAT system, underscoring its commitment to transparent and digital-first welfare governance.
Officials noted that this expanded coverage could enhance India’s ability to negotiate Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with developed countries. These agreements would ensure benefit portability for Indian workers abroad while meeting transparency standards for international partners, thereby strengthening India’s position in global trade and labour mobility discussions.
Minister Mandaviya is currently leading the Indian delegation at the ILC, held from June 10 to 12, in Geneva.
