India and Brazil have agreed to deepen cooperation in labor and employment sectors during the BRICS Labor Ministers meeting in Hyderabad. Brazil appreciated the success of India’s e-Shram portal and showed interest in technical cooperation.
India and Brazil will increase cooperation in labor sector
Hyderabad (Telangana) [भारत]July 16 (ANI): India and Brazil reaffirmed their strategic partnership and agreed to deepen cooperation in labor and employment sectors on the sidelines of the BRICS Labor and Employment Ministers’ meeting in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Union Minister of Labor and Employment Shobha Karandlaje held talks with Francisco Massena da Silva, Deputy Minister of Labor and Employment of Brazil, during which both sides discussed cooperation in skill development, digital employment services, social security and women workforce participation.
Brazil showed interest in e-shram portal
During the meeting, the Indian side shared details of the country’s digital public infrastructure for labour, including the National Career Services Portal and the e-Shram Portal, which is described as the world’s largest database of unorganized sector workers. More than 31.5 crore unorganized sector workers have registered on the e-Shram portal and it connects them to benefits under various government schemes. Brazil appreciated the success of the e-Shram portal and expressed interest in cooperation at the technical level to study and learn from India’s digital model.
India also shared the International Reference Classification of Occupations study and progress on its labor reforms, under which 29 labor laws have been consolidated into four labor codes. Social security coverage in India is set to increase from 64.3 percent to about 68 percent in 2025, officials said.
The two countries also agreed to advance BRICS CONNECT — the BRICS cooperation network for capacity building, employment and new skills and technologies — through knowledge sharing and capacity-building initiatives for mutual benefit. This bilateral meeting was held as part of India’s BRICS Chairmanship 2026.
BRICS Labor Ministers adopt declaration
Meanwhile, Union Labor and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the ministerial session, which was attended by labor ministers and representatives of all BRICS member countries. The discussion focused on the future of work and emerging challenges in the global job market.
Ministers adopted the Declaration of Labor and Employment Ministers, reaffirming their shared commitment to flexible, inclusive and future-ready labor markets. The declaration led to consensus on key areas such as social protection and informality, increasing women’s workforce participation, employment and skill development, and the use of digital technologies for all workers, including gig and platform workers. (ANI)
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