India Wins International Social Security Association Award 2025, Deepens Global Partnerships on Social Security
SDG 1: No Poverty | SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth
Institutions: Ministry of Labour & Employment
At the World Social Security Forum (WSSF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, India was conferred the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award 2025 for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security. Union Labour Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya received the award, highlighting India’s expansion of social protection coverage from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, now reaching 940 million citizens—a milestone also recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). India also secured 30 seats in the ISSA General Assembly, the highest vote share globally.
On the sidelines, Dr. Mandaviya held bilateral meetings with Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohammed Azman, ISSA President and CEO of Malaysia’s PERKESO, as well as ministers from Uganda and Malaysia. Discussions focused on labour mobility, mutual recognition of skills, and digital social protection systems. Uganda expressed interest in adopting India’s e-Shram and National Career Service (NCS) platforms, while Malaysia reiterated collaboration on social security via a proposed ESIC–PERKESO memorandum. India also backed a Global South initiative to define gig and platform workers for international frameworks.
India’s award and diplomatic outreach highlight its dual role: domestic reformer and global agenda-setter. By combining digital registries with labour mobility frameworks, India positions itself to shape global debates on migrant, gig, and informal worker protections, advancing both Viksit Bharat 2047 and South–South cooperation.
What is ISSA? → The International Social Security Association (founded 1927, Geneva) is the global body of social security institutions. Its triennial awards recognise outstanding achievements in expanding social protection.
What is ESIC–PERKESO? → ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation) is India’s statutory social security body providing healthcare and insurance to workers. PERKESO (Social Security Organisation of Malaysia) is its Malaysian counterpart. The proposed ESIC–PERKESO collaboration would enable knowledge-sharing, reciprocal coverage, and coordinated social security frameworks, especially for migrant and overseas workers.
What is e-Shram? → Launched in 2021, e-Shram is a national digital database of unorganised workers, managed by the Ministry of Labour & Employment. With over 310 million workers registered, it links informal sector workers to welfare schemes, insurance, and skilling programmes through a multilingual, Aadhaar-linked platform.
What is National Career Service (NCS)? → The NCS portal is a government platform that connects job seekers with employers. It provides verified databases of skilled workers, integrates with e-Shram, and supports career counselling and skilling. For global employers, it acts as a talent-matching tool while ensuring workers retain access to social security.
India’s Social Security Ecosystem Matrix→
EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation)
Target Group: Formal sector employees (with employer–employee payroll link)
Main Benefits: Retirement savings (EPF), pension (EPS), life insurance (EDLI)
Nature: Contributory, payroll-based
Role: Core pillar for formal retirement security
ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation)
Target Group: Formal sector wage earners below salary threshold (mainly low-to-mid income)
Main Benefits: Healthcare, disability, maternity, unemployment insurance
Nature: Contributory, payroll-based
Role: Core pillar for formal health security
e-Shram
Target Group: Informal/unorganised sector workers (90% of workforce)
Main Benefits: Digital ID + access to welfare schemes, insurance, portability
Nature: Non-contributory registration; gateway to schemes
Role: Bridge for informal workers into social protection
NCS (National Career Service)
Target Group: All job seekers (formal & informal) + employers
Main Benefits: Job matching, skilling, career counselling, talent database
Nature: Employment facilitation, not direct social security
Role: Labour market linkage; integrates with social protection
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India leverage its ISSA recognition and new global partnerships to secure reciprocal social security coverage and safe labour mobility for its overseas workers?
Follow the full news here: PIB Release 1 | PIB Release 2