India hosts BRICS Justice Ministers' Meet; members express consensus on strengthening mediation, arbitration
Gandhinagar, May 21
The BRICS Justice Ministers' Meeting under India's BRICS 2026 Chairship commenced in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, with Heads of Delegation and representatives from member nations arriving for ministerial deliberations and engagements.
The meeting follows the Senior Officials' Meeting held on Wednesday in Gandhinagar, where participating officials finalized the text of the Joint Declaration titled, "Declaration of the Ministers of Justice of the BRICS Countries on Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution through Capacity Building in Mediation and Arbitration."
The Senior Officials' Meeting was conducted in hybrid mode and witnessed participation from Brazil, China, India, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Following extensive and constructive consultations among member nations, the Declaration was placed before the Ministers of Justice for formal adoption and was adopted today.
All participating members expressed consensus on the importance of strengthening ADR mechanisms, particularly through enhanced cooperation and capacity building in mediation and arbitration.
Earlier, the Ministry of Law and Justice said in a press statement highlighted how the meetings underscore India's leadership in promoting ADR as a core component of modern legal-system reform and as a vital tool for delivering accessible, speedy and affordable justice to citizens.
The choice of Gandhinagar, Gujarat, as the venue reflects the city's emergence as a hub for major international legal and multilateral events under India's 2026 BRICS Chairship.
It further noted how the BRICS Justice Ministers will promote dialogue and cooperation on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), particularly mediation and arbitration, by facilitating exchange of best practices, policy approaches, and institutional experiences; strengthening professional capacity and institutional ecosystems through training, professional exchanges, joint workshops, and knowledge sharing platforms for mediators, arbitrators, judges, government legal officers, and legal professionals; enhancing court referred and pre litigation mediation; fostering institutional cooperation among arbitration centres, mediation institutions, and legal training bodies; leveraging digital technologies to improve accessibility, efficiency, supporting cooperation on cross border commercial disputes; advancing legal research and comparative study of BRICS jurisprudence to harmonise laws on trade, and environment; and promoting training for government legal officers.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see India taking the lead in alternative dispute resolution. The emphasis on digital technologies to improve accessibility is exactly what we need. However, I hope the capacity building programs extend to smaller towns and rural areas too, not just metropolitan hubs.
This is fantastic news! As someone who has faced the nightmare of long court cases, I can't emphasize enough how crucial mediation and arbitration are. The joint declaration's focus on pre-litigation mediation is a game-changer for common citizens. Hope it translates into real action on the ground.
Pride moment for Gujarat! Gandhinagar as the venue for such a high-profile international meet is well-deserved. The emphasis on harmonizing laws on trade and environment across BRICS nations will boost economic cooperation. But let's be honest - implementation is the real challenge, not just declarations.
I appreciate the focus on court-referred and pre-litigation mediation. Our judicial system is overburdened, and ADR can provide quick relief. However, I hope the government also invests in training more mediators and arbitrators, especially those who understand local contexts. The devils in the details!
Finally, some concrete action on ADR! The joint workshops and knowledge-sharing platforms mentioned are crucial. Cross-border commercial disputes are a growing concern in our interconnected world. But I wish the declaration had specifically addressed the enforcement of mediated settlements across BRICS nations.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.