A New Era in Indian Labour Law Begins

Four Labour Codes Brought into Force on November 21, 2025

On November 21st, 2025, India formally entered a new phase of labour governance. Through four separate Gazette notifications issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Government of India brought into force the Code on Wages, 2019, the Code on Social Security, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. With this, a sweeping reform of the labour-law landscape, consolidating 29 older central labour statutes, became legally effective.

Consolidation of Old Laws

The four labour codes repeal or replace 29 existing central labour laws along with its State amendments, that had become fragmented and overlapping. Many of these older statutes dated back to the pre and early post-independence era, when the prevailing economic structure was different from today. The Government aimed to simplify labour compliances and bring coherence to a system that had become difficult to navigate for all stakeholders. This landmark shift is expected to lay the foundation for a workforce that is future ready, leading to stronger and more resilient industries for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” said to empower both workers and enterprises.