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India won the ISSA Award 2025 at WSSF in Kuala Lumpur for expanding social welfare under PM Modi’s government and innovations like the e-Shram portal.
Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya received the award at ISSA World Social Security Forum in Malaysia. (Image: X/@mansukhmandviya)
India has been honoured with the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award for outstanding achievement in social security, marking global recognition of the country’s efforts to expand and strengthen social welfare coverage over the past decade.
Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, received the award on behalf of the Government of India at the World Social Security Forum (WSSF) 2025 in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. Mandaviya announced the development on his official handle on X.
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Proud to share that India has been conferred with the prestigious ISSA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security 2025.This recognition is a testament to the efforts of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in ensuring social welfare for every citizen.
Over the last decade, India… pic.twitter.com/unYUMg46ou
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) October 3, 2025
“Proud to share that India has been conferred with the prestigious ISSA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security 2025. This recognition is a testament to the efforts of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in ensuring social welfare for every citizen,” he wrote in a post on X.
Highlighting India’s historic expansion in social security coverage, Mandaviya stated, “Over the last decade, India has witnessed one of the fastest expansions of social security coverage in the world, rising from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, covering more than 940 million citizens.”
The ISSA, a Geneva-based international organisation affiliated with the International Labour Organization (ILO), grants the award to countries demonstrating exceptional commitment and innovation in extending social protection. The selection is based on impact, scalability, and sustainability of social security reforms.
Further, after an increase in social protection coverage, India’s share in the General Assembly of ISSA has reached thirty (30), which is the highest vote share for any country, according to the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Addressing the event, Mandaviya said, “This award is a testament to the vision of our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, and to our guiding principle of Antyodaya, empowering the last person in the line, that has shaped our journey towards inclusive and universal social protection.”
In his address, the Union Minister elaborated on the establishment of extensive digital public infrastructure in India for efficient last-mile delivery of social security benefits, with special reference to the e-Shram portal. “The e-Shram portal is a National Digital Database that serves as a “One-Stop Solution” connecting over 310 million unorganised workers with social welfare schemes through a multilingual, seamless interface,” he stated.
This triennial award recognises India’s exceptional progress in social protection systems globally. The award ceremony was a highlight of the WSSF, a premier global gathering of over 1,200 social security policymakers and professionals from 163 countries. Being the fifth recipient of this award since its inception, India joins the leading countries across the globe in the field of Social Protection coverage.
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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
October 03, 2025, 12:22 IST
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