Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of achieving ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, India has achieved a historic milestone in the realm of social protection coverage, recording one of the most significant expansions globally. According to the latest data from the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) ILOSTAT database, India’s social security coverage has increased from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, an unprecedented 45 percentage point surge over the past decade.

While holding a bilateral discussion with the Director General, ILO, Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference (ILC), Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the pro-poor and labour welfare schemes undertaken by the Modi Government over the past 11 years.

Union Minister also apprised DG ILO about the national-level Social Protection Data Pooling Exercise that has been carried out by the Government in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation.

Recognising these efforts, ILO acknowledged India’s achievement and officially published on its dashboard that 64.3% of India’s population, i.e. over 94 crore people, are now covered under at least one social protection benefit. In 2015, this figure was just 19%.

In terms of beneficiary count, India now ranks second in the world, providing social protection to around 94 crore citizens. DG ILO praised India’s focused welfare policies for the poor and labour class under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

ILO’s Criteria for Scheme Consideration for each country include that the scheme should be legislatively backed, in cash and be active, and verified time series data of last three years has to be provided.

Speaking from Geneva, Dr. Mandaviya said, “This remarkable achievement stands as a testament to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the relentless efforts of the Government in building an inclusive and rights-based social protection ecosystem. The increase marks the fastest expansion in social protection coverage worldwide, reflecting the Government's unwavering commitment to “Antyodaya” i.e., empowering the last mile and fulfilling the promise of leaving no one behind”.

It is important to note that the present figure reflects only Phase I of the data pooling exercise. This phase focused on beneficiary data of Central sector schemes and women-centric schemes in selected 8 States. With Phase II and further consolidation underway, it is expected that India’s total social protection coverage will soon surpass the 100-crore mark upon verification of additional schemes by the ILO.

India is also the first country globally to update its 2025 social protection coverage data in the ILOSTAT database, reinforcing its leadership in digital governance and transparency in welfare systems.

Moreover, the increase in Social Protection Coverage will further strengthen India’s global engagements, particularly in finalising Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with developed nations. These agreements will ensure the portability of social protection benefits for Indian professionals working overseas, while offering partner countries the transparency required for mutual recognition frameworks. This will further bolster India's position in trade and labour mobility negotiations by showcasing a credible and robust social protection regime.

Dr. Mandaviya is leading an Indian delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, from 10^th to 12^th June 2025 to participate in the 113^th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) of the ILO.

******

Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar

Pave Press Release