Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday launched the Chandigarh International Arbitration Centre (CIAC).

The launch took place during the first edition of the India International Disputes Week (IIDW), which is being held in Chandigarh between March 07 and March 11.

“Chandigarh itself is no ordinary backdrop. It is a city conceived with deliberation — designed, planned, and structured with care. It stands as a reminder that institutions do not arise by accident; they are imagined, built, and sustained with foresight. In that sense, the inauguration of CIAC here feels entirely appropriate. For dispute resolution, like the city-building, demands design, discipline, and durability,” CJI Kant said on the occasion.

CJI Kant added that CIAC must stand for neutrality that is beyond doubt, efficiency that is beyond promise, and procedural integrity that is beyond reproach.

“If it does so, it will not merely serve this region, it will contribute to India’s standing as a dependable seat of International Arbitration,” he said.

Stating that India’s economic presence has expanded with remarkable speed, CJI Kant commented that while the reach is a mark of confidence, it is also a source of complexity.

“And complexity, if left unattended, breeds hesitation,” he added.

CJI Kant further said that between now and 2030, India’s cross-border dispute framework will not be judged by the number of statutes or centres but by how consistently it upholds neutrality, how predictably the country enforces outcomes, how swiftly disputes are resolved and how responsibly change is adapted.

CJI Kant said that the question is not whether India can enact modern legislation but whether the country’s dispute resolution institutions, taken together inspire sustained confidence across borders.  

“Of course, such confidence cannot be declared with a sweeping statement. It must be earned. Earned through consistency, through neutrality, through procedural discipline, and through institutional performance over time,” CJI Kant added.

Commenting on the role of courts in arbitration, CJI Kant said:

“Arbitration cannot thrive without autonomy. But autonomy, if left unmoored, risks arbitrariness. The task has therefore been to allow the arbitral process some room to breathe, while ensuring that its legitimacy remains intact.“

Meanwhile, CJI Kant praised the efforts of organisers of IIDW.

 “I am happy to see that the very structure of this inaugural edition — spanning litigation, arbitration, mediation, digital evidence, third-party funding, and institutional governance — reflects intellectual seriousness. It signals that we are not content with episodic reform. We are thinking in terms of direction, durability, and design,” he said.