New Delhi, July 21 -- 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, streaml...