AMN
India has witnessed a dramatic expansion in its social security coverage, rising from just 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, according to the latest figures from the International Labour Organization’s ILOSTAT database. This 45-percentage-point increase over the last decade marks one of the fastest expansions globally, with India now ranking second in the world in terms of the number of people covered.
The ILO has officially acknowledged this milestone by updating its global dashboard to reflect that over 940 million (94 crore) Indians are now receiving at least one form of social protection benefit. These include coverage in areas such as health, old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and maternity benefits.
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo praised India’s targeted welfare programmes, especially those benefiting the poor and working-class population, attributing the progress to the policies implemented under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“A Visionary Leap in Social Protection”: Mandaviya
During a bilateral meeting with the ILO chief at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya reiterated the Government of India’s commitment to inclusive growth and social justice.
He credited the achievement to the Modi government’s pro-poor and labour-centric schemes over the past eleven years. Dr. Mandaviya described the leap as a testament to the government’s vision of building a rights-based, inclusive, and resilient social protection ecosystem, aimed at empowering the last mile and ensuring no citizen is left behind.
The Minister emphasised that this global recognition by the ILO underscores India’s emergence as a leader in delivering large-scale social protection and reflects its determination to achieve equitable development for all.