New Delhi, July 21 -- The 'Bills of Lading, 2025' bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for Presidential Assent. Tabled by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, in the Upper House on Monday. It marks a watershed moment for India's maritime sector.

The bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha in March, now awaits Presidential assent to become law. Once enacted, it will replace the 169-year-old colonial era Indian Lading Act, 1856 with a modern, simplified, and globally aligned legal framework for maritime shipping documentation in India.

Tabling the bill to the house, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "As we gather here, we are reminded of our visionary and dynamic Hon'ble Pr...