India pushes for social security pacts to protect workers abroad | India News
NEW DELHI: With the International Labour Organisation acknowledging 64% social security coverage in the country, govt is going to aggressively pitch for social security agreements with other countries, including those with which trade deals are being discussed, to help Indian techies and others working overseas avoid making contributions abroad without getting the money back.Social security agreements, often referred to as totalisation agreements, are reciprocal arrangements with other countries allowing for return of social security contributions of overseas workers. Recently, India and the UK agreed to an agreement as part of the FTA, which will be signed soon. Currently, India has SSAs with 22 countries including Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Brazil.“We will seek social security agreements with countries. We have requested the commerce minister (Piyush Goyal) to include them along with FTAs s that Indians working abroad are assured of social security,” labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters.
