India’s social protection coverage may go up to 57%: India tells G20 nations

India, on Wednesday, said its social protection coverage is expected to go up to 57%, on the back of in-kind benefits being offered by the Centre and states, when the International Labour Organisation (ILO) comes out with its next World Social Protection Report. The ILO report 2024-26 shows India’s social protection coverage doubled to 48.8% in 2022 from 24.4% in 2018.

“India’s efforts in social security expansion were recognized, with coverage doubling from 24.4% in 2021 to 48.8% in 2024, as per the ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2024-26,” India said at the first employment working group meeting of the G20 nations in South Africa.

“With the ongoing work with ILO on including ‘in-kind’ benefits and those of the states, the potential coverage of the country will go up further,” it said.


The India delegation led by labour and employment secretary Sumita Dawra said India has undertaken multiple interventions related to job creation and labour reforms with focus on labour market flexibility and social security expansion under the government’s vision of ‘Sabka Vikas’.

Reinforcing India’s commitment to job creation, secretary Dawra said in her presentation that the Union Budget 2025-26, focussed on employment-led development with focus on key sectors like agriculture, MSME, manufacturing, exports and global supply chain along with skilling and education.

“Besides, India is also working towards labour reforms aimed at growth in investments and employment generation in the country,” Dawra said, listing out more than half a dozen initiatives of the government which have led to positive trends in India’s labour market.

Some of the reform measures listed out included simplified Labour Codes, universalisation of wages, social security for gig and platform workers, formalizing employment and enhancing female participation, streamlining of registrations and compliances and technological integration for transparency for faster grievance redressal.

Highlighting the positive trends in India’s labour market, Dawra said India’s unemployment rate has come down to 3.2% in 2023-24 from 6% 2017-18 while the labour force participation rate has gone up to 60.1% from 49.8% during this period and worker population ratio has risen to 58.2% from 46.8%.

On gender inclusion, secretary Dawra reiterated India’s commitment to achieving 70% female workforce participation by 2047, citing progressive policies such as extended maternity leave, crèche facilities, and equal pay provisions.

“India’s increasing participation of women in high-growth sectors like IT, R&D, and engineering was noted as a critical driver of economic growth,” she added.

Reiterating India’s global engagement in skills mapping with the ILO and OECD along with bilateral agreements facilitating skilled labour mobility with major G20 countries, Dawra said the focus is on youth empowerment through skill development.

“This has led to an increase in the employability of graduates from 34% to 55% in the last decade,” she said, adding India’s commitment to fostering economic inclusion and empowering its youth, recognizing them as key drivers of national and global growth.