India Implements Historic Labour Reform: Four Labour Codes Replace 29 Existing Laws

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya declared, "Now they are the law of the land," referring to the four new labour codes.

New Delhi:

The government made a landmark announcement on Friday, implementing four comprehensive Labour Codes with immediate effect. This historic decision has consolidated 29 existing labour laws into four streamlined codes.

These four labour codes comprise the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.

During a press conference in New Delhi, Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated, "The four labour codes have been notified and now they are the law of the land."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Shramev Jayate! Today, our Government has given effect to the Four Labour Codes. It is one of the most comprehensive and progressive labour-oriented reforms since Independence. It greatly empowers our workers. It also significantly simplifies compliance and promotes 'Ease of doing business'."

A ministry statement highlighted that this landmark move modernizes labour regulations, enhances workers' welfare, and aligns the labour ecosystem with contemporary work environments. This reform establishes a foundation for a future-ready workforce and stronger, resilient industries, driving labour reforms for Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).

According to the statement, many of India's previous labour laws originated in the pre-Independence and early post-Independence era (1930s-1950s), when the economy and work environment were fundamentally different from today.

While most major economies have updated and consolidated their labour regulations in recent decades, India had continued to operate under fragmented, complex, and often outdated provisions distributed across 29 central labour laws until this reform.