Labour Law Reforms In India's Port And Logistics Sector: A Bibliometric And Knowledge Mapping Analysis (1984–2026)

Abstract

India's port and logistics sector occupies a structurally critical position within global trade networks, yet the intersection of labour law reform and sector-specific employment governance remains underexplored in the scholarly literature. This study employs bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping to examine 277 Scopus-indexed publications spanning 1984 to 2026, with the aim of charting the intellectual landscape of labour governance as it relates to port and logistics operations. Drawing on co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence mapping, and thematic clustering carried out through Biblioshiny (R–Bibliometrix) and VOSviewer, the study identifies three dominant research clusters: labour standards and CSR compliance, global supply chain governance, and workplace-level employment studies. The analysis reveals significant geographic asymmetry in knowledge production, with India contributing a disproportionately small share of publications despite its strategic importance. The findings confirm a structural disconnect between transnational governance paradigms and the statutory reform debates specific to India’s four Labour Codes. The paper concludes by identifying priority areas for targeted research and proposes a sector-sensitive policy framework for labour regulation in Indian ports and logistics.