1. Informalization of Labor: A significant portion of the Indian labor force is employed in the informal sector, where job security, social security, and benefits are often lacking. This poses challenges for traditional IR frameworks designed for formal employment.
2. Contractualization and Gig Economy: The rise of contract labor, gig work, and platform-based employment creates ambiguity around employment relationships, making it harder to establish clear employer-employee relations.
3. Technological Disruption: Automation, artificial intelligence, and other technological advancements are reshaping industries and jobs. This can lead to job displacement, necessitating the retraining and upskilling of workers.
4. Adapting to Remote Work: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work. Balancing the interests of employers and employees in this new work paradigm poses challenges for IR practices.
5. Skill Mismatch: There’s a growing gap between the skills possessed by the workforce and the skills demanded by the job market. This can lead to challenges in hiring, training, and workforce planning.
6. Social Security and Benefits: Ensuring access to social security benefits, including healthcare, retirement, and unemployment benefits, for all workers is a pressing concern.
7. Gender and Diversity Issues: Ensuring equal opportunities and addressing gender-based discrimination and other forms of workplace inequality are ongoing challenges.
8. Compliance and Regulatory Framework: Keeping up with the evolving legal and regulatory landscape, including changes in labor laws and compliance requirements, can be a challenge for both employers and employees.
9. Industrial Conflicts and Disputes: As economic pressures and workplace dynamics change, industrial disputes and conflicts may arise, necessitating effective conflict resolution mechanisms.
10. Environmental Sustainability: Balancing industrial growth with environmental sustainability concerns, such as pollution control and resource conservation, is becoming an important aspect of industrial relations.
11. Globalization and International Labor Mobility: With increasing globalization, there’s a need to address issues related to cross-border labor mobility, including immigration policies and protection of the rights of migrant workers.
12. Crisis Management and Pandemic Preparedness: Events like the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the need for effective crisis management and preparedness plans in the workplace.

These challenges require a proactive approach from all stakeholders, including government, employers, employees, and labor unions. Collaboration, adaptability, and innovative solutions are essential to navigate these emerging issues in the field of industrial relations in India. It’s important to note that the landscape may have evolved beyond these challenges after September 2021, so it’s recommended to refer to more recent sources for the latest developments.