London: The Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) in partnership with FICCI organized the 2nd Edition of ‘Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes’ conference here. Building on the success of the previous edition, this conference aims to provide valuable insights into the resolution of commercial disputes between India and the United Kingdom.

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 is actively working for an impartial and fair ADR system.

Further enriching the conference, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister for Law and Justice, Government of India, in his special address highlighted that over the last nine years, the Indian Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has implemented far-reaching legal reforms which not only cater to investors' comfort level but has also eased the burden on courts. This, in turn, has promoted 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 newer heights,” he added.

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, he noted.

Harish Salve KC, Distinguished member of Blackstone Chambers and Former Solicitor General of India, shared his expertise 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. Sujit Ghosh, Deputy High Commissioner of the India High Commission at the UK, emphasized the importance of strengthening the bilateral arbitration ties between India and the United Kingdom.

The conference commenced with a welcome remark from Arun Chawla, Director General of the Indian Council of Arbitration and FICCI, who stated that India-UK's business environment calls for a robust dispute resolution tool. Geeta Luthra, Vice President of the Indian Council of Arbitration and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, 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.

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 a significant platform for exchange and collaboration between legal professionals, policymakers, and experts in the field. /BI/