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ARTICLE · 18 DECEMBER 2025

India's Labour Codes 2020: A Transformative Reform

Maheshwari & Co. Advocates & Legal Consultants
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On 21st November 2025, India witnessed one of the most significant labour reforms in its post-independence history with the implementation of four unified Labour Codes...

IndiaEmployment and HR
Ketan Joshi
Ketan Joshi
Navya Saxena
Navya Saxena

Introduction

On 21st November 2025, India witnessed one of the most significant labour reforms in its post-independence history with the implementation of four unified Labour Codes that consolidated and rationalized 29 existing labour laws.

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 represent a comprehensive overhaul of India's labour regulatory framework. This transformational change aims to create a protected, future-ready workforce while promoting ease of doing business, thus balancing the interests of workers, employers, and the broader economy1. The journey towards these consolidated codes began with recommendations from the Second National Commission on Labour, which advocated for grouping labour laws into four to five codes. Following extensive consultations from 2015 to 2019, the Ministry of Labour and Employment pursued this

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