Implementation Of India's Four Labour Codes: Key Changes And The Road Ahead

On November 21, 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued notifications operationalizing substantial portions of India's four labour codes i.e. the Code on Wages, 2019 ("Wage Code"); the Industrial Relations Code, 2019 ("IR Code"); the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 ("OSH Code"); and the Code on Social Security, 2020 ("SS Code"). These Codes were originally enacted to consolidate 29 (twenty-nine) central labour laws into a more coherent and modern framework. The recent notification marks the first meaningful step towards implementation. However, while only select provisions have not come into effect, the larger framework continues to depend on the subsequent rules the Central and State Governments will issue.