Gandhinagar: Justice ministers from 10 BRICS countries convened in Gandhinagar on Thursday under India's chairmanship of the BRICS bloc and adopted a declaration aimed at strengthening alternative dispute resolution (ADR) through capacity building in mediation and arbitration. The declaration, finalized earlier in the week by senior officials from the member nations, was approved in principle by representatives from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), reflecting a shared commitment to expand mediation and arbitration across member countries, according to an official statement by the Union law and justice ministry.
Key Highlights of the Declaration
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal informed reporters on the sidelines of the event that the justice ministers deliberated on various issues and reached a consensus on promoting ADR through arbitration and mediation. Best practices in these fields will be shared among member countries. The declaration includes strengthening capacity building initiatives for stakeholders such as government legal officers, mediators, arbitrators, judges, and legal professionals through training programmes. It also adopts the proposal of promoting institutional mediation and arbitration reforms to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and enforceability of ADR processes.
Digital Integration and Cooperation
Meghwal noted that BRICS countries have endorsed India's Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), which integrates with the judicial framework through the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS). This digital ecosystem links police (CCTNS) with courts (e-Courts), jails (e-Prisons), forensic laboratories, and prosecution departments to streamline justice delivery. Additionally, member countries adopted a proposal to encourage cooperation and knowledge-sharing on the use of digital tools and innovation in ADR.
Shared Vision for Trade and Investment
The adoption of the declaration underscores the collective vision of BRICS members to make mediation and arbitration more accessible and effective as preferred mechanisms for resolving disputes. This approach aims to reduce the burden on courts and foster a stable environment for trade and investment, the statement added.
