The Rajya Sabha passed the ‘Bills of Lading, 2025’ bill on the first day of the monsoon session on Monday, paving the way for Presidential assent to replace a colonial-era law.
Tabled by the Union minister of ports, shipping & waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal, the passage of the bill marks a watershed moment for India’s maritime sector, the ministry said.
The bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha, now awaits Presidential assent to become law. Once enacted, it will replace the 169 year-old Indian Lading Act, 1856 with a modern, simplified, and globally aligned legal framework for maritime shipping documentation in India.
The new law replaces archaic terminology with clear and business-friendly language, streamlining rights and obligations for carriers, shippers and lawful holders; reducing ambiguity in shipping documentation to lower litigation risks as well as strengthening India’s position in global trade by aligning with international norms.
Shedding colonial remnants
Tabling the bill, Sonowal said, “Today, as we reflect on the 76th year since the adoption of the Indian Constitution, it is the perfect moment to cast aside the remnants of colonial and pre-constitutional legacies that hinder our progress. ‘Swarnim Bharat’ needs a statute that is contemporary, crafted by our own people, and capable of addressing the challenges of the modern era.”
The bill renames the outdated law, symbolising a decisive move away from India’s colonial past. It simplifies legal language, restructures complex provisions, and introduces an enabling clause empowering the central government to issue directions for effective implementation. By incorporating a standard repeal and saving clause, the legislation ensures continuity and legal validity of past actions under the old Act.
These reforms aim to enhance clarity, promote ease of understanding, and enable smoother enforcement in line with contemporary trade and legal standards enabling Ease of Doing Business in India, the ministry said.
Sonowal said, “‘The Bills of Lading, 2025’ bill reflects our constitutional values and marks a vital step in replacing outdated colonial laws with a modern, accessible framework. As our maritime sector expands rapidly, this reform will boost ease of doing business, reduce disputes, and strengthen India’s global trade standing. As the saying goes — ‘Whoever rules the waves, rules the world’ — it’s time India leads from the front.”
