Archive · 11 Jan 2026
Arbitration Council of India Delayed
The Indian government has not yet set up the Arbitration Council of India, which was supposed to be created six years ago to help with solving business disputes.
Some people think this is a problem because it's making it harder for India to become a big place for solving international disputes.
The government has been talking about making changes to the rules, but it's taking a long time.
Some people are even choosing other ways to solve disputes, like mediation, because the current system isn't working well.
The government hopes to fix these problems soon.
The Arbitration Council of India has not been constituted six years after the 2019 law amendment.
The council is meant to regulate and promote institutional arbitration in India.
The delay is adversely affecting India's potential as a hub for international arbitration.
Some government departments are preferring mediation over arbitration due to the current system's issues.
An expert committee submitted a report in February 2025 recommending amendments to the arbitration law.
- Who
- Central government, Union law ministry, former Union law secretary P K Malhotra, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, expert committee headed by T K Vishwanathan
- What
- Delay in constituting the Arbitration Council of India
- When
- Six years after the 2019 law amendment, as of January 2026
- Where
- India
- Why
- To regulate and promote institutional arbitration, but the delay is adversely affecting India's potential as an arbitration hub
- Law Amendment Year
- 2019
- Proposed Council Purpose
- Regulate and promote institutional arbitration
- Current Status
- Not yet constituted
- Impact
- Adversely affecting India's potential as an arbitration hub
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Mediation preferred by some government departments
- Expert Committee Report
- Submitted in February 2025, recommended amendments to arbitration law
- Draft Bill
- Floated by law ministry in October 2025