Strengthening arbitration crucial to achieve Viksit Bharat: Arjun Ram Meghwal at ICA symposium at Singapore Convention Week

The Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA) recently held a Symposium-cum-Roundtable on “Bridging Markets, Resolving Disputes via ADR in the India–Singapore Corridor” during Singapore Convention Week 2025.

The event reinforced India’s commitment to promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) on the global stage, in alignment with the national vision of establishing India as a global hub for arbitration.

Speakers reflected on the shared synergy between India and Singapore in their pro-arbitration stances and mutual commitment to fostering an investor-friendly environment. This alignment between the two democracies was highlighted as a key driver in advancing cross-border commercial cooperation and promoting trust in dispute resolution frameworks.

Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of Law and Justice, Government of India, delivered the Keynote Address, reaffirming the government’s commitment to legal reforms rooted in India’s civilizational ethos. Citing the doctrine of Panch Parmeshwar, which embodies the principle of collective consensus in dispute resolution, he emphasized the need for global cooperation to strengthen ADR mechanisms. Commending the ICA for organizing the symposium and the relevance of its theme, he entrusted the ICA with the responsibility of advancing ADR collaboration within the India–Singapore economic corridor. 

"India has a philosophy called 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbaka' which means that the whole world is one family. It is a philosophy that tries to foster an understanding that the whole humanity is one family. In this backdrop, this symposium provides an invaluable platform to foster convergence, promote harmonisation, and increase joint innovation in dispute resolution frameworks, thereby strengthening the India-Singapore corridor of co-operation', the Union Minister added.

Highlighting India's goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, he underscored that strengthening arbitration frameworks is pivotal to enhancing ease of doing business and positioning India as a global hub for dispute resolution.

"India is steadily moving towards the goal of Viksit Bharat at 2047. A central pillar of this vision is the creation of a business friendly environment supported by dispute resolution system that is quick, reliable, and cost-effective," he stated.

Building on the discussion, Justice AK Sikri, International Judge, Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) and Former Judge, Supreme Court of India, contextualized arbitration within a changing global order, noting that the world is shifting from globalisation to ‘glocalisation’.

"Every country speaks of this in their way, in India we say Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Spirit of India. That is glocalisation. At the same time, globalisation is important as no country can proper in today's world without mutual co-operation and help from other countries," he explained.

Justice Sikri added that such international co-operation is even more important today, considering the geopolitical climate of tariff wars.

He highlighted Singapore’s “Trinity ecosystem” (SIAC, SIMC, and SICC) as a model of synergy across arbitration, mediation, and commercial adjudication. He further pointed to the MoU between the Supreme Courts of India and Singapore as a testament to the deepening judicial collaboration between the two countries.

Dr. Shilpak Ambule, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, noted that bilateral collaboration is expanding beyond  Delhi and Mumbai to India’s states and emerging cities, with growing business partnerships, supported by Chief Ministers’ visits. Framing the relationship around six pillars - UPI, skilling,  advanced manufacturing, connectivity, health, and sustainability - he emphasized efforts to build a collaborative ecosystem. He also highlighted the rising presence of Singapore-based FPIs in India, and the growing need for legal support as engagement deepens at both national and state levels. 

Dr. Anju Rathi Rana, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, emphasized Singapore’s status as one of India’s largest trading partners in ASEAN and a frontrunner in FDI inflows into India. She recalled India’s pioneering commitment to international arbitration, being one of the first six Asian signatories of the Geneva Convention and among the ten original signatories of the New  York Convention. Dr. Rana highlighted the institutionalization of arbitration through trusted institutional arbitration centres in India and underscored the need to build an ecosystem of mutually supportive institutions across jurisdictions. 

Recognizing the strategic importance of neutral seats in cross-border dispute resolution, Justice Philip Jeyaretnam, President of the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) and Judge, High Court of Singapore, highlighted Singapore’s unique position as a small, neutral, and multicultural city-state, making it an ideal venue for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. Emphasizing its three-pillar judicial structure, comprising Singapore commercial judges, international common law judges, and international civil law judges, he noted that Singapore has built a supportive legal ecosystem grounded in speed, efficiency, and openness to cultural diversity.

Dr. NG Khaitan, President, ICA and Senior Partner, Khaitan & Co, in his opening address, highlighted ICA’s 60-year legacy and India’s deep-rooted arbitration culture dating back to 1781. Congratulating Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal for the latest National Litigation Policy and other legislative reforms spearheaded under his leadership, he emphasized India’s rapid economic transformation, robust litigation reforms, and the resolution of over 7,00,000 cases through mediation in recent years. He urged global investors to trust  India as an equally reliable forum for dispute resolution alongside Singapore, noting that India is one of the most experienced countries in handling diverse cases. Embracing the challenge to reform, perform, and transform, he affirmed that India has today emerged as a golden nation.

Arun Chawla, Director General, ICA and former DG FICCI, reflected on the longstanding partnership between India and Singapore, highlighting Singapore’s key role in India’s Act East Policy. He noted that India and Singapore have indeed embraced change and described the symposium as a platform for institutional collaboration,  knowledge sharing, and fostering investor confidence through efficient dispute resolution. Stressing that ADR should not only be one of the most preferred but the most preferred dispute resolution mechanisms, he expressed unwavering commitment to honor the trust bestowed by Union Law Minister Shri Meghwal, to lead the ADR synergy between India and Singapore towards new heights.

The roundtable that followed explored the nuanced challenges and practical considerations of applying ADR in complex dispute scenarios. Distinguished speakers shared valuable insights on both the opportunities and limitations of ADR, while reaffirming its well-established strengths in time efficiency, cost effectiveness, and confidentiality.

The session was chaired by Justice AK Sikri, and moderated by Mohit Saraf, Founder and Managing Partner of Saraf and Partners, alongside Francis Xavier SC, Regional Head of Disputes Group at Rajah and Tann Singapore LLP and Member of the ICA International Advisory Board (Singapore).

Speakers included Dr. Pinky Anand, FCIArb, Senior Advocate and Former Additional Solicitor General of India; Geeta Luthra, Senior Advocate,  Supreme Court of India and Vice President of ICA; Rohit Singhal, CEO of MASIN; Chou Sean Yu, Managing Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group at Wong Partnership; and Kirindeep Singh, Senior Partner, Litigation, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Practice Groups, Dentons Rodyk, Singapore.