India's Labour Codes: Transformative step towards inclusive economic growth

If we implement with speed, transparency and collaboration, the Codes can anchor India's next growth chapter

- CHANDRAJIT BANERJEE

Land and labour are foundational to India’s growth — while land drives infrastructure and industrial development, labour fuels productivity and inclusion.

In this context, India’s new Labour Codes mark a transformative step, consolidating 29 laws into a modern, unified framework that ensures clarity, consistency, and equity in the world of work.

For workers, the Codes promise stronger social protection, safer workplaces, and wider access to formal benefits, while businesses benefit from simplified compliance, flexibility in workforce management, and a level playing field across sectors. While the ultimate impact will depend on the quality of implementation, these Codes mark a decisive step in aligning India’s labour market with the needs of a 21st-century economy.

Across diverse sectors — from delivery services in Jaipur to technical roles in Sanand, and construction work in Guwahati— India’s workforce shares a common aspiration: Access to safe working conditions, fair remuneration, and social security that is portable and reliable. Whether employed in factories, on farms, or through platform-based services, workers seek three core assurances: Income stability, predictable social protection and dignity in employment. India’s four Labour Codes have been formulated with the objective of translating this aspiration into a lived reality, ensuring that the principles of equity and protection are embedded across the world of work.