The Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) on June 5, in partnership with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), held the Second Edition of Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes Conference in London.
Building on the success of the previous edition, the conference aims to provide valuable insights into the resolution of commercial disputes between India and the United Kingdom.
Distinguished guests and eminent speakers from the legal and arbitration communities graced the occasion to share their expertise and shed light on various aspects of the arbitration process. The conference provides significant platform for exchange and collaboration between legal professionals, policymakers, and experts in the field.
Supreme Court Judge Justice Hima Kohli, while delivering the keynote address at the conference provided insights into the challenges and opportunities of arbitrating Indo-UK commercial disputes and emphasised on the fact that judiciary is actively working for an impartial and fair ADR system.
Further enriching the conference, Union Minister for Law & Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, in his special address told that over the 9 years, the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made far-reaching legal reforms which not only caters to investors' comfort level but also ease the burden on courts have been initiated inter alia with an aim to promote India globally as an arbitration hub.
“I am sure various reforms undertaken by the Indian Government, including in the field of dispute resolution, will further act as incentive for investors and a stimulus for increasing cooperation in various sectors and take India-UK relations to new heights.”
He further emphasized that India-UK relations, especially in the areas of trade and commerce, are bound to grow further in the years to come. The foundation has been laid with the launch of Roadmap 2030 between the two sides. Roadmap 2030 is a dynamic vision that charts the way forward for bilateral trade between India and the UK, which is projected to see positive growth.
Member of Blackstone Chambers and Former Solicitor General Harish Salve KC, shared his expertise and insights during his address at the conference, and said that the journey has begun and it's time for all stakeholders to come together and make India the next hub of arbitration, like London.
Deputy High Commissioner of the India High Commission at the UK Sujit Ghosh, graced the occasion with his insightful address, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the bilateral arbitration ties between India and the United Kingdom.
The conference commenced with a welcome remarks from Director General of the Indian Council of Arbitration Arun Chawla, who said India-UK's business environment calls for a robust dispute resolution tool.
Concluding the event, Vice President of the Indian Council of Arbitration and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India Geeta Luthra, extended her vote of thanks. Ms. Luthra's expertise and contributions to the field of arbitration further expected to elevate the importance of this conference.
About Indian Council of Arbitration
The ICA was established in 1965 as a specialized arbitral body at the national level under the initiatives of the Govt. of India and apex business organizations like FICCI etc. Based in New Delhi, the main objective of ICA is to promote amicable, quick and inexpensive settlement of commercial disputes by means of arbitration, conciliation, regardless of location.
Today, ICA is not only the leading arbitral institution in India, it is one of the most important arbitration centres in Asia Pacific, handling more than 400 domestic and international arbitration cases each year.
It also provides the commercial world with an unrivalled and time-tested Maritime Arbitration services and imparts education and training in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Coupled with our quality case administration and panel of arbitrators, ICA is the one resource for all your dispute resolution needs.