India may soon make a social security agreement with Britain in a free trade agreement (FTA). On Wednesday (July 02, 2025), a source gave this information.
According to sources, from now on, the Social Security Agreement (SSA) will be an integral part of all the free trade agreement to be interacted in the future. The source said, ‘UK is believed to have agreed to the social security component under FTA talks. It will be thought out further.
Social security agreement is a mutual system between two or more countries, which decides that the employee working abroad does not have to contribute to the security coverage fund, but he gets full benefit of employment period for pension calculation. Employers also avoid making double social security contribution on behalf of their employees.
Permission to issue coverage certificates
For Indian employees posted abroad or foreign appointment abroad, it is necessary to take coverage certificate (COC) from the Retirement Fund Body EPFO. This prevents the payment of social security contribution in the countries deployed.
Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has been allowed to issue coverage certificates to employees deployed in countries who have signed an agreement with India.
Appeal to include SSA
Union Labor Minister Mansukh Mandavia told reporters here that he has requested the Ministry of Commerce to include SSA in all FTA talks in future. He said, ‘We are doing this to promote social security of all people.’
Currently, India has done SSA with 22 countries including Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Brazil. Citizens of all these 22 countries get equal benefits for being deployed in India.
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