|
The Union government’s new labour codes will herald a major shift towards a more protected, future-ready workforce, aligning with the goals of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, according to a section of pharma and healthcare industries.
The reforms, which consolidate and modernise decades-old labour laws, are being viewed as a decisive step in strengthening workers welfare, ensuring safety in high-risk sectors, and promoting formalisation across the industry. Stakeholders assert that the unified framework will not only enhance social security and workplace protections but also equip India’s life-sciences and healthcare ecosystem with the resilience and competitiveness needed to lead on the global stage.
A section of the pharma and healthcare companies said that safety, labour standards and social security are not optional but it is essential now. The new codes will formalise labour norms and safety standards, reducing regulatory risk for domestic and foreign collaborators.
A formally regulated, welfare-protected workforce attracts better talent because job security, health benefits and safety matter especially in pharma/healthcare, where work can be hazardous and demanding.
Sanjaya Mariwala, executive chairman and managing director of OmniActive Health Technologies, said, “The new labour regulations are a step in the right direction. Unifying the complex regulatory environment existing in the country is long due and requires the changes in the evolving nature of work in the current scenario. However, the ambition of the regulations will only be effective if they factor in the realities of doing business and the existing infrastructure framework.
In the manufacturing sector, the workforce remains deeply rooted in subcontracting. The shift allowances policy is flexible but may be counterproductive in the cleanroom environment if the fatigue of the workforce remains unmanaged through appropriate regulations. The imposition of one-size-fits-all benefit provisions on the fixed-term workforce policy may inadvertently affect the flexibility of R&D in the pharma and nutraceutical segments”.
“And while regulatory filings transition to the digital platforms, there remains no apparent framework to secure the confidential information of the workers. A new regulatory system will only partially address the existing problems in the environment without incorporating a modern framework to support its enforcement,” said Sanjaya Mariwala.
Satish Kannan, co-founder and CEO, MediBuddy, said, “Making annual health check-ups mandatory for employees above 40 years of age is a timely and progressive reform that firmly places preventive care at the heart of India’s labour framework. Early detection of conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease will not only safeguard employee wellbeing but will also reduce long-term health risks and the financial strain on organisations”.
At MediBuddy, we welcome this move. We have long partnered with companies across India to deliver structured, protocol-driven health check-up programmes at scale. With the new Labour Codes coming into effect, we are fully prepared to support India Inc in ensuring a seamless transition—leveraging our nationwide network of hospitals and diagnostics, app-based booking, and unified digital health records, he added.
This reform marks a strong step towards building a healthier, more resilient and preventive-first workforce for the country, said Kannan.
The Union government’s labour codes are being seen as more than regulatory reform—they represent a structural reset that promises to elevate workforce standards across India’s pharma and healthcare sectors. By embedding safety, social security, and formalisation at the core of industry operations, the codes are poised to create a stable, skilled, and future-ready labour ecosystem. This, industry stakeholders believe, will not only reinforce India’s position as a global life-sciences hub but also advance the nation’s broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision of self-reliance, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.
|