According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), India’s social security coverage has surged from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025—benefiting approximately 940 million people—making it the second highest globally.

This rapid expansion, the fastest worldwide in the past decade, marks a significant milestone in India’s welfare and inclusive development efforts.

Key Points

• India’s social security coverage grew from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, marking a 45.3% increase in a decade.
• Approximately 940 million individuals are now covered under at least one social security scheme in the country.
• India ranks second globally in terms of social security beneficiaries, as per the ILO’s latest report.
• The ILO credited India for achieving the fastest expansion of social protection coverage in the world.
• With Phase II of India’s Social Protection Data Pooling Exercise underway, coverage is projected to surpass 1 billion beneficiaries.