India's social protection coverage crosses 100 crore in 2026, says Labour Minister; ILO recognises milestone

India's social protection coverage has crossed the 100-crore (one billion) mark in 2026, up sharply from 25 crore beneficiaries in 2015, according to Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The milestone has been acknowledged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which described it as an achievement that offers lessons for other developing nations.

In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, Mandaviya said India's social protection coverage has expanded from 19 per cent of the population in 2015 to 68.4 per cent in 2026.

"India crosses the 1 billion mark in Social Protection Coverage!" the minister wrote. "Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji, India's social protection coverage has grown from 25 crore citizens (19 per cent) in 2015 to over 100 crore citizens (68.4 per cent) in 2026, reflecting the Modi government's commitment to Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas."

The latest figures represent one of the world's fastest expansions in social security coverage, taking India from covering less than one-fifth of its population just over a decade ago to more than two-thirds today.

The achievement was formally recognised by ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo during the 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting held in Hyderabad under India's BRICS Chairship 2026.

"According to ILO running estimates, India's social protection system now reaches 1 billion people. This milestone offers lessons that can be shared through South-South cooperation," Houngbo said in a video message to the meeting.

He later congratulated India in a post on X for the successful conclusion of the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting, saying that preparing labour markets for the future requires greater focus on social protection, skills development and harnessing digitalisation to promote decent work.

Mandaviya thanked the ILO chief for acknowledging India's efforts to broaden social protection coverage and highlighted the government's focus on expanding access to social security schemes.

The latest recognition builds on India's International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award 2025 for "Outstanding Achievement in Social Security", presented in Malaysia in October 2025. At the time, the ILO had noted that India's social protection coverage had increased from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, bringing more than 94 crore citizens under the social security framework.

The latest estimates indicate that coverage has now expanded to over 100 crore people, underscoring the continued growth of India's social protection system over the past decade.

(With PTI inputs)