New Delhi [India], October 8 : India has been conferred with the Outstanding Achievement in Social Security Award 2025 by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), recently at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, recognising the country's exemplary efforts in expanding social protection and ensuring inclusive welfare for its citizens.
Speaking on this achievement, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told ANI that India has performed remarkably in this area over the past decade, with approximately 64 per cent of the country's population now having access to social security.
Mandaviya said, "The International Social Security Association (ISSA) was established in 1927 and is a prestigious global institution... It works with a noble purpose and every three years honours countries that have done commendable work in the field of social security. India has performed remarkably in this area over the past decade."
"Today, 64% of the country's population has access to social security. In terms of numbers, approximately 94 crore citizens of the country are now covered under social security... There are several schemes through which our social security coverage has expanded, and the International Social Security Association has taken note of this and honoured India..." he said.
The ISSA award, presented in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last week, was received by Mansukh Mandaviya on behalf of the Government of India.
Union Minister said that this award is a testament to the transformative reforms carried out by the Modi government over the past decade in the domain of social security.
He also stressed upon the rise in India's vote share in the ISSA General Assembly to 30, which is the maximum permissible limit for any member country, saying, "This milestone reflects India's growing influence and leadership in shaping global social security dialogue and cooperation."
The ISSA Award is a prestigious global recognition, presented once every three years at the World Social Security Forum. Previous recipients of this honour include Brazil (2013), China (2016), Rwanda (2019) and Iceland (2022). Established in 1927, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) comprises more than 330 member organisations from 158 countries.
India has achieved a remarkable expansion in social protection coverage, from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, as highlighted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), thereby bringing more than 94 crore (940 million) citizens under the ambit of social security.
A key reform driving this achievement is the e-Shram Portal, launched four years ago, which has connected over 31 crore (310 million) unorganised workers to social security and other welfare services.
The ISSA Award 2025 highlights India's commitment to developing an inclusive, equitable, and technology-driven social protection ecosystem, ensuring that every worker, whether organised or unorganised, is safeguarded under the umbrella of social security.