Chief Justice of India Surya Kant warned geopolitical disruptions threaten global cooperation, stressing India-France partnership is essential. Speaking at Indo-French Legal and Business Conference, he highlighted multidimensional ties spanning defence, security, sustainable growth, and advanced technology collaboration, worldwide relevance.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant emphasized that the forces of disruption and geopolitical tensions pose a significant threat to the very foundation of international cooperation. In this context, the partnership between France and India is essential, not merely a luxury.
While addressing the Indo-French Legal and Business Conference, the CJI remarked that the relationship between the two nations has evolved beyond mere diplomacy, developing into a multidimensional framework that includes the integrity of defense and security cooperation, as well as a mutual commitment to sustainable growth and advanced technologies.
He stated,
“We have witnessed a remarkable acceleration in our bilateral trade, which has more than doubled over the last decade, surging from 6.4 billion dollar in 2009-10 to an impressive 15.11 billion dollar in the last fiscal year,”
ALSO READ: Indian Identity Abroad Rooted in Constitution, Not Just Culture: Justice Surya Kant
Discussing the theme of “Cross-Border Dispute Resolution: Courts, Arbitration and India-France Year of Innovation 2026,” Justice Kant said,
“The relationship between France and India is not a creation of convenience; it is a bond forged over centuries. Today, standing on the shoulders of this history, we face a world transformed by uncertainty. The forces of disruption and geopolitical tension threaten to destabilise the very framework of international cooperation. In such a world, the France-India partnership is not a luxury, it is a lifeline.”
He expressed that both countries, united by their commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and a peaceful global order, possess complementary strengths.
He elaborated,
“As we stand at the precipice of the Year of Innovation 2026, we are no longer just building the nest; we are mapping the sky in which we fly,”
As India and France embark on this new phase of innovation, they are supported by a dispute-resolution framework that is not just reactive but anticipatory, not adversarial but principled and not merely efficient, but enduring.
Also Read: Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant: Bar and Bench Must Work Together for Justice
The CJI highlighted the potential in forming joint arbitration and mediation panels that would include professionals trained in both civil and common law traditions.
He noted,
“Such panels would bring not only technical excellence but also the cultural and jurisprudential fluency necessary for resolving disputes that traverse legal systems as seamlessly as they traverse markets,”
Justice Kant also indicated the importance of strengthening institutional partnerships between Indian arbitral centers and their Parisian counterparts. Through shared procedural standards, joint training programs, and co-administered proceedings, these collaborations can create dispute-resolution platforms that are globally credible yet contextually nuanced.
In the Indian context, the CJI mentioned that the Arbitration Act, the Mediation Act, and the Commercial Courts Act collectively form a cohesive ecosystem arbitration for binding resolutions, mediation for consensual settlements, and specialized courts for oversight and enforcement.
He highlighted that the Supreme Court has consistently shown a pro-arbitration perspective, reaffirming that arbitration clauses should be interpreted broadly and that technical objections should not impede the clear intent of the parties to arbitrate.
He stated,
“Indian courts have played an important role in strengthening the foundational features of arbitration, most notably the principle of party autonomy, which remains the backbone of the arbitral process in India, designed to give parties the widest possible freedom to shape procedures that reflect their needs and commercial realities,”
ALSO READ: Collegium System Shields Judiciary’s Autonomy Despite Flaws: Justice Surya Kant
The CJI urged the audience to consider the commonalities that link the Ganges and the Seine, elaborating that the Ganges, revered by millions, flows from the majestic Himalayan peaks, sustaining the plains of India with life, faith, and culture. Conversely, the Seine, gracefully winding through France, nurtures the heart of Paris and has inspired artists, philosophers, and dreamers for centuries.
He concluded,
“One may appear as a spiritual pilgrimage in motion; the other as a poetic lifeline of art and romance. Yet, beneath these apparent differences lies a harmony of purpose. Both rivers are storytellers. Along their banks, civilisations have blossomed kingdoms have risen, markets have thrived, and communities have found their rhythm. Each river mirrors the aspirations of its people, becoming not only a source of sustenance but also a vessel of identity. France and India are heirs to civilisations that have contributed immeasurably to art, philosophy, and the human spirit,”