Lok Sabha Question No. 4517 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-29
Subject: Social Security Agreements
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: George Baker

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA USTARRED QUESTION NO.4517 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.03.2017

## SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENTS

## 4517.  SHRI GEORGE BAKER:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)
- the salient features of the Social Security Agreements;
- (b) the details of the achievements made under these agreements so far;
- (c) whether the Government has recently signed such agreements with some new countries; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  new  targets  set therein?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) Bilateral  social  security  agreements  protect  the  interests  of Indian  professionals,  skilled  workers  working  abroad  by  providing the following benefits:
-  Avoiding making double social security contributions: Once an SSA is signed between India and a foreign country, it exempts the  Indian  worker  (working  on  short  term  contracts  abroad) from  making  a  social  security  contribution  in  that  foreign country. This exemption is provided only if the Indian worker is  covered  under  the  social  security  system  of  India  and continues  to  pay  his/her  contribution  during  the  period  of overseas contract.
-  Easy  remittance  of  benefits  (Exportability):  An  SSA  between India and a foreign country enables the Indian worker/professional to remit his/her accumulated social
- security  contribution  made  in  a  foreign  country,  in  case  of relocation to India/third country.
-  Aggregating  the  contribution  periods  (in  two  countries)  to prevent loss of benefits (Totalization): An SSA allows aggregating residency periods of  social  security  contribution made  by  the  Indian  worker  /  professional  in  India  and  the foreign country to qualify for retirement benefits.
- (b) As  on  date,  India  has  signed  and  operationalized  Social Security  Agreements (SSAs) with 18 countries  - Australia,  Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  and  South  Korea.  We  have  also signed  comprehensive  Social  Security  Agreements  with  Portugal and  the  Quebec  Province  of  Canada,  both  of  which  are  in  the process of getting operationalized. On 24 February 2017, India and Germany exchanged the instruments of ratification on the comprehensive SSA, which would enter into force with effect from 01 May 2017.
- (c) The second round of negotiations on SSA between India and Sri Lanka was held in Colombo on 17-18 November, 2017. During the meeting  the  text  of  SSA  has  been  finalized  between  both  sides. Taking  forward  the  spirit  of  the  Goa  Declaration  at  the  8th  BRICS Summit, and outcomes  of the meetings of  BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers held on 9 June 2016 in Geneva and on 27-28 September 2016 in New Delhi, India and Brazil held the negotiations on SSA from 13-16 March 2017 in Brasilia and initiated the finalized text of the  Social  Security  Agreement.  The  second  round  of negotiations  on  Administrative  Arrangement  will  be  held  in  the second half of this year and the SSA will be operationalized in early 2018.
- (d) The Ministry of External Affairs, GoI the 'competent authority' for negotiating the SSAs is planning to enter into SSAs with several other  countries  like  China,  Russia,  South  Africa,  Thailand,  Mexico, Peru,  Cyprus  etc.  Informal  consultations  on  SSA/Totalization  are ongoing with the United States of America.

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