Industrial relation is not a very new concept but it has become one of the most delicate and complex problem of modern Indian society. Industrial Progress is impossible without labour management cooperation and industrial harmony. The concept of Industrial relation has a wide meaning and connotation. In the narrow sense, the term “Industrial Relation” refers to the nature of relationship between the employers and employees in an Industrial enterprise. In the broad sense, industrial relation refers to all types of relationship between all the parties concerned with the industry.

Examples are:

• Individual relations
• Relationship between employers and workers at the place of work or workers participation in management. 
• Collective bargaining 
• Trade union 
• Machinery for settlement of industrial disputes 
• Unfair labor practices 
• Individual grievance and disciplinary policy and practice.
• Industrial relation training. 
• State participation in industrial Relation.

Another related term is ‘employee relations’ or ‘human relation’.