Intro
India showcased major labour reforms and employment gains at the ILO Conference in Geneva, highlighting worker welfare, social protection expansion and international cooperation.
Geneva
India highlighted the achievements of its labour reforms at the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, with Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje presenting the country’s progress in employment generation, worker welfare and social protection.
Addressing the plenary session, Karandlaje said India has modernised its labour framework by consolidating 29 Central Labour Laws into four Labour Codes. The reforms, guided by the principle of Antyodaya, aim to simplify compliance, improve transparency and strengthen protections for workers while supporting economic growth.
The minister highlighted key labour market gains achieved over the past decade. Youth employability increased from 34 per cent in 2014 to more than 56 per cent in 2025. During the period from 2017 to 2025, the unemployment rate declined from 6 per cent to 3.1 per cent, while women’s labour force participation rose significantly from 22 per cent to 38.8 per cent. She also referred to the government’s employment initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana.
On the sidelines of the conference, Karandlaje held discussions with Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization. She reiterated India’s commitment to advancing decent work, social justice and inclusive development through continued collaboration with the global labour body.
The minister noted that India’s social protection coverage has expanded substantially and, according to preliminary ILO estimates, now covers 68.4 per cent of the population, benefiting more than one billion people.
Karandlaje also met Christine Nkulikiyinka and Anil Jayantha Fernando. India showcased the success of the National Career Service Portal and e-Shram Portal as digital public goods and offered technical support for employment and worker registration systems. Sri Lanka expressed interest in learning from India’s experience in implementing the new labour codes.
