“India Committed to Inclusive Labour Markets”: Mandaviya
BRICS Adopts Labour Declaration, India Launches BRICS CONNECT
- BRICS Labour Ministers adopt landmark declaration in Hyderabad.
- India launches BRICS CONNECT to boost labour cooperation among member nations.
- ILO says India’s social protection system now covers 100 crore people.
- Dr. Mandaviya calls for inclusive, resilient and future-ready labour markets.
GG News Bureau
Hyderabad, 16th July: BRICS member nations on Wednesday adopted a landmark Labour and Employment Declaration and India launched BRICS CONNECT, a new platform aimed at strengthening technical cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity building among member countries during the 12th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Hyderabad.
Addressing the meeting, Union Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said India’s BRICS Chairship has been guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision with a “people-centric” approach and the spirit of “Humanity First.” He said the BRICS forum offers the Global South an opportunity to shape practical, inclusive and people-centric solutions for the future of work.
Highlighting India’s labour reforms, the minister said the country has consolidated 29 labour laws into four Labour Codes and expanded digital platforms such as the e-Shram portal, which now serves over 317 million registered unorganised workers.
In a video message, International Labour Organization (ILO) Director General praised India’s expanding social security network, stating that the country’s social protection system now covers 100 crore people, describing it as a significant achievement with lessons for South-South cooperation.
The declaration commits BRICS nations to expanding social protection, increasing women’s participation in the workforce, strengthening skills development and employability, and promoting cooperation on digital technologies, including for gig and platform workers.
India also unveiled BRICS CONNECT, a collaborative initiative to facilitate cooperation in labour market intelligence, skills forecasting, digital employment services, social security and labour reforms. Member countries welcomed the initiative as a step towards translating policy dialogue into practical collaboration.
Concluding the meeting, Dr. Mandaviya said the declaration reflects the collective commitment of BRICS nations to build resilient, inclusive, gender-responsive and digitally empowered labour markets, ensuring that no worker is left behind.
