New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) The government is aiming to promote institutional arbitration for dispute resolution in Tier II and Tier III cities and create an effective framework for the purpose, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, in a written reply, said that the government is keen to popularise institutional arbitration in smaller cities as well, and with this objective, a conference ‘Institutional Arbitration: An effective framework for Dispute Resolution’ was organised in June.
Elaborating on steps taken to strengthen the arbitration and mediation infrastructure, Meghwal said, “A national-level Mediation Conference was organised by the Attorney General for India in association with the Department of Legal Affairs and India International Arbitration Centre in May at Bharat Mandapam.”
The aim of the conference was to promote mediation as a primary mode of dispute and conflict resolution across the country, he said.
Meghwal said the Mediation Act, 2023, has been enacted with a view to promoting mediation, especially institutional mediation in the country. Section 31 of the Act provides for the establishment of the Mediation Council of India as a national-level body inter alia for promoting mediation as a preferred mode of dispute resolution and for recognising mediation service providers in the country.
He said the government enacted the India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019, to provide for the establishment of the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) for the purpose of creating an independent, autonomous and world-class body for facilitating institutional arbitration.
The centre was also declared an institution of national importance, he said.
Sharing details of budgetary allocation and actual expenditure in the last five years for the development of arbitration and mediation infrastructure, including capacity building, panel development and technology integration, the MoS said, “A budgetary allocation of Rs 3.56 crore has been made in 2025-26 for IIAC.”
In 2024-25, the expenditure on the development of arbitration and mediation infrastructure stood at Rs 3.75 crore, in 2023-24 it was Rs 3 crore, and in 2022-23 it was Rs 15 lakh, said the MoS.
The Centre aims to inspire confidence amongst parties by providing a dispute resolution platform for the resolution of commercial disputes through arbitration, said Meghwal.
The Centre is envisaged to become a model arbitral institution in the country, thereby paving the way for enhancing the quality of the institutional framework for arbitration.
“Apart from the India International Arbitration Centre, no other arbitration or mediation centre has been established by the Central government,” he said in the reply.
–IANS
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