India ranks 2nd globally in social security coverage: ILO

India has recorded a historic achievement in the realm of social protection. According to the latest data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) published in the ILOSTAT database, India’s social security coverage has increased from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025. This marks an unprecedented 45 percentage point surge over the past decade, making it one of the most significant expansions globally.

During a bilateral meeting with ILO Director General Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo at the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, India’s Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports highlighted various pro-poor and labour welfare schemes implemented over the past decade. The Minister also presented details of the national-level Social Protection Data Pooling Exercise, undertaken in collaboration with the ILO.

Following this initiative, the ILO officially confirmed that 64.3% of India's population—over 94 crore people—are now covered under at least one social protection benefit, compared to only 19% in 2015. With this, India now ranks second globally in terms of the number of individuals receiving social protection benefits.

The ILO’s criteria for recognizing a scheme include:

• Legislative backing

• Cash-based and active implementation

• Availability of verified time-series data for the past three years

India’s compliance with these conditions reflects its commitment to building a robust and credible social protection system.

Speaking from Geneva, the Union Minister noted that this progress reflects the country’s efforts to build an inclusive, rights-based welfare system, aiming to empower the most vulnerable and ensure that no one is left behind.

The current data reflects only Phase I of the data pooling initiative, which included Central sector schemes and women-centric schemes across eight selected states. With Phase II and further verification ongoing, it is anticipated that India’s total coverage will surpass 100 crore people upon full inclusion of additional schemes and validation by the ILO.

Notably, India is also the first country in the world to update its 2025 social protection data in the ILOSTAT database. This milestone underlines India's leadership in digital governance and data transparency within global welfare systems.

The expansion in coverage will also play a significant role in strengthening India’s position in finalizing Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with developed nations. These agreements will allow for portability of social protection benefits for Indian professionals abroad and provide the transparency and accountability required for mutual recognition frameworks.

India is participating in the 113th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) being held in Geneva from 10th to 12th June 2025, demonstrating its commitment to active engagement in global labour and social protection dialogue.