India is moving closer to implementing its long-awaited labour reforms, with the government finalising rules for all 4 labour codes ahead of a likely rollout in April.
Officials confirmed that the labour and employment ministry has completed drafting the rules, which will be notified after vetting by the law ministry.
The 4 codes include the Code on Wages, the Code on Social Security, the Industrial Relations Code, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code. Together, they streamline India’s regulatory framework by consolidating 44 labour laws into 29 provisions.
The government had already notified these labour codes on November 21, 2025, and released draft rules for public consultation. Feedback was received until January and later reviewed to finalise the rules at the central level.
Once implemented, the codes are expected to introduce key reforms across the labour ecosystem. These include social security coverage for unorganised workers such as gig and platform workers, mandatory annual health check-ups for workers above 40, statutory minimum wages for all, and provisions for unemployment benefits.
To support this transition, the government plans to set up a social security fund aimed at extending coverage to 400 million unorganised workers.
The rollout marks a significant step toward modernising labour laws and expanding worker protections across sectors.
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