New Delhi, July 22 -- The Rajya Sabha passed the Bills of Lading, 2025 bill on the opening day of the monsoon session, marking the completion of parliamentary approval for landmark shipping sector reforms.

The legislation, which replaces the 169-year-old Indian Lading Act of 1856, now awaits presidential assent to become law.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal tabled the bill in the upper house after it had previously cleared the Lok Sabha in March 2025.

The minister described the legislation as a watershed moment for India's maritime sector and a critical step toward modernising the country's legal framework for shipping documentation.

The new law introduces comprehensive reforms designed to align Ind...