**Summary:**
The Government of India is actively strengthening arbitration and mediation infrastructure through several key initiatives. The India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019 established the India International Arbitration Centre as an autonomous body to facilitate institutional arbitration and serve as a model arbitral institution. While this is the only such center established by the Central Government, the Mediation Act, 2023 promotes mediation, particularly institutional mediation, and establishes the Mediation Council of India to promote mediation and recognize service providers. To further these goals, a national Mediation Conference was held on May 3, 2025, in New Delhi, and a Conference on Institutional Arbitration was held on June 14, 2025, to highlight the advantages of institutional arbitration, even in smaller cities. These efforts aim to promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms nationwide. Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, provided this information in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Law and Justice: The Indian government ministry responsible for legal affairs, legislation, and the administration of justice.
India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019: An act of the Government of India providing for the establishment of the India International Arbitration Centre.
India International Arbitration Centre: An independent, autonomous body established to facilitate institutional arbitration in India.
Mediation Act, 2023: An act promoting mediation, especially institutional mediation, in India.
Mediation Council of India: A national-level body established under the Mediation Act, 2023 for promoting mediation and recognizing mediation service providers.
Department of Legal Affairs: A department associated with organizing the national level Mediation Conference.
New Delhi, Delhi: Location of the national level Mediation Conference.
Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State Independent Charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Ministry of Law and Justice
Strengthening Arbitration and Mediation
Infrastructure in India
Posted On: 01 AUG 2025 2:43PM by PIB Delhi
The Government of India has enacted the India International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019, to provide for the
establishment of the India International Arbitration Centre for the purpose of creating an independent,
autonomous and world class body for facilitating institutional arbitration and to declare the Centre to be an
institution of national importance. The Centre aims to inspire confidence amongst parties, by providing a
dispute resolution platform for resolution of commercial disputes through arbitration. The Centre is envisaged
to become a model arbitral institution in the country, thereby paving the way for enhancing the quality of
institutional framework for arbitration. Apart from India International Arbitration Centre, no other arbitration
or mediation centre has been established by the Central Government.
The Mediation Act, 2023 has been enacted with a view to promote mediation, especially institutional
mediation in the country. Section 31 of the Act provides for the establishment of 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. Further, a national level Mediation Conference was
organised by Ld. Attorney General for India in association with Department of Legal Affairs and India
International Arbitration Centre on 03.05.2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The aim of the conference
was to promote mediation as a primary mode of dispute and conflict resolution across the country. Also, a
Conference on Institutional Arbitration: An effective framework for Dispute Resolution was organised by the
Government of India on 14.06.2025, with a view to promote the advantages of institutional arbitration
including in Tier II and Tier III cities.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice
and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply to a
question in the Lok Sabha today.
****
Samrat/Allen
(Release ID: 2151246)