Mansukh Mandaviya Strengthens Global Labour Ties at ISSA Summit in Malaysia

Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, engaged in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the World Social Security Summit (WSSF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The discussions centered on mutual recognition of skills, safe labour mobility, and social protection collaboration, reflecting India’s growing leadership in shaping the global labour and social security agenda.

Dr. Mandaviya is currently in Malaysia to receive the prestigious International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award 2025 for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Social Security’, conferred on the Government of India for its remarkable strides in extending social protection to millions of workers.

Meeting with ISSA President and PERKESO CEO

In his meeting with Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohammed Azman, President of ISSA and CEO of Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (PERKESO), Dr. Mandaviya expressed gratitude for ISSA’s recognition of India’s social security achievements. He welcomed India’s enhanced representation and voting rights within ISSA, underscoring India’s role as a leading voice for the Global South.

Highlighting India’s digital-first approach to social security, the Minister showcased flagship initiatives such as the e-Shram portal (the world’s largest database of unorganised workers) and the National Career Service (NCS) platform, which connects job seekers with opportunities.

The ISSA President congratulated India on its rapid expansion of social protection under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, praising the country’s ability to scale coverage to millions in a short span of time.

Strengthening India–Uganda Labour Cooperation

Dr. Mandaviya also held discussions with H.E. Betty Amongi Ongom, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development of Uganda. The meeting reaffirmed the century-old historical and cultural ties between the two countries.

The leaders welcomed the revival of the India–Uganda Joint Trade Cooperation Session earlier in 2025 after a 23-year gap, and identified priority areas of collaboration, including public works, agriculture, traditional medicine, and tele-medicine.

Dr. Mandaviya emphasized India’s willingness to share its expertise in digital public infrastructure for labour and employment. Uganda expressed keen interest in adopting India’s e-Shram and NCS models, recognising their potential to strengthen labour market efficiency and match talent with opportunities.

Advancing India–Malaysia Strategic Partnership

In his meeting with H.E. Steven Sim Chee Keong, Malaysia’s Minister of Human Resources, Dr. Mandaviya congratulated Malaysia for hosting the ISSA Forum and reaffirmed India’s readiness to support Malaysia’s labour market needs with India’s skilled and professional workforce.

The Ministers agreed on the importance of advancing the India–Malaysia Enhanced Strategic Partnership, particularly in futuristic sectors like IT, renewable energy, and infrastructure development.

India also reiterated its commitment to moving forward on the proposed Memorandum of Collaboration between the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and PERKESO, which has already been initiated through the Ministry of External Affairs.

Dr. Mandaviya further emphasized that the Global South should lead in shaping model definitions for gig and platform workers, a critical issue as digital labour platforms transform employment globally. In this context, Malaysia extended an invitation to the Union Minister to attend the summit on platform workers in 2026.

India’s Global Leadership in Social Security

Through these bilateral engagements, Dr. Mandaviya underlined India’s commitment to safeguarding workers’ rights abroad, advancing social protection frameworks, and building partnerships that support safe and sustainable labour mobility.

With initiatives like e-Shram, NCS, Ayushman Bharat, and ESIC reforms, India has emerged as a model for rapid, scalable, and inclusive social protection expansion. By sharing its expertise with countries in Asia and Africa, India is positioning itself as a key architect of global labour cooperation on the road to Viksit Bharat@2047.