India’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system has become “an essential forward-looking instrument of justice” supporting cross-border commerce, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Tuesday at the launch of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC).
“Investor confidence depends not just on market opportunity but on predictable and strong dispute-resolution systems,” Meghwal noted, stressing that modern commercial relationships require subject-matter expertise, speed and procedural certainty.
He welcomed the creation of the BICC, calling it “a visionary step” that offers India and Bahrain an opportunity to build a shared legal architecture to support business and investment.
Meghwal highlighted India’s “purposeful” legislative evolution in commercial dispute resolution - from the Arbitration and Conciliation Act to commercial courts and the 2023 Mediation Act - and emphasised that India’s jurisprudence reinforces party autonomy, procedural integrity and efficiency.
He also pointed to the success of Lok Adalats, terming them an example of people-centric justice that resolves millions of cases “in a dignified, timely and cost-free manner,” especially for vulnerable litigants.
“Efficiency and empathy can and must go hand in hand,” he said.
The Minister underscored a 5,000-year-old civilisational connection between India and Bahrain, dating back to the Dilmun and Indus Valley cultures, with trade today reaching nearly USD 1.6 billion.
“Our shared vision is clear - to ensure that commerce between our nations is supported by legal systems that are modern, effective and internationally aligned,” he said.
Calling for deeper India–Bahrain institutional cooperation, Meghwal proposed exchange programmes for judges, hybrid dispute resolution models and technology-enabled platforms to create a “seamless legal corridor” for business.
Speaking at the same event, Senior Advocate and BICC judge Pinky Anand said that India must establish an International Commercial Court, calling it “an idea whose time has come."
She said that the BICC is built on a Bahrain–Singapore treaty framework that creates a modern adjudicatory system combining global jurists, technology, procedural innovation and a treaty-based appellate structure elements she described as the "gold standard of international adjudication.”
"The Bahrain International Commercial Court embodies this vision—a vision that recognizes justice as the foundation of lasting peace and economic progress," she said.
Anand praised Singapore as the “leading light in commercial justice” and noted that regional comity between international commercial courts is critical to legal certainty.
“The old guard is now changing. No longer will we rely on removed and ad-hoc tribunals operating without the necessary teeth,” she observed.
Justice Surya Kant, who was initially slated to attend the event, conveyed his message at the King Hamad Lecture Ceremony in Manama on November 5, 2025, expressing regret that he could not attend in person due to unforeseen personal circumstances.
“The creation of this institution marks a significant milestone—not only for Bahrain, but for the entire region—as it underscores a deep commitment to the Rule of Law, judicial excellence, and the facilitation of global commerce,” he wrote