The Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) in partnership with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) held the second edition of "Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes" conference in London on Monday. Building on the success of the previous edition, this conference aimed to provide valuable insights into the resolution of commercial disputes between India and the UK.
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 provided significant platform for exchange and collaboration between legal professionals, policymakers, and experts in the field.
Justice Hima Kohli, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, 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 was actively working for an impartial and fair ADR system.
Further enriching the discussion, Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Union Minister for Law and Justice, Government of India, in his special address told how under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the legal reforms in India have reached far. He explained that they not only catered to investors' comfort level but also eased the burden on courts aiming 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 said.
He further added that the India-UK relations, especially in the areas of trade and commerce, were bound to grow further in the years to come, since the foundation was laid with the launch of Roadmap 2030 between the two sides.
Harish Salve KC, member of the Blackstone Chambers and former Solicitor General, shared his expertise and insights during his address at the conference, and said, the journey has begun and it was time for all the stakeholders to come together and make India the next hub of arbitration, like London.
Sujit Ghosh, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral arbitration ties between India and the UK.
The conference commenced with a welcome remarks from Arun Chawla, Director General of the Indian Council of Arbitration, who said that India-UK's business environment called for a robust dispute resolution tool.
Concluding the event, Geeta Luthra, Vice President of the Indian Council of Arbitration and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, extended her vote of thanks.
