The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs inaugurated the second batch of its IICA Certified Arbitration Program (ICAP) virtually through the Centre of Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution (CEADR). The program is a flagship initiative aligned with creating soft infrastructure for Viksit Bharat@2047 through education, training, research, advocacy and advisory on contemporary issues, aiming to create a pool of next-generation, globally benchmarked arbitration professionals in India.
Director-General & CEO Shri Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh emphasized the need to standardize the arbitration landscape through institutional arbitration in India, focusing on enforceability of arbitral awards, ensuring fairness of process, code of conduct, and creating a diverse pool of arbitration experts with sectoral competencies. Dr Rajiv Mani, Secretary of the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, referred to the program as "a big game-changer" and mentioned various government initiatives for India to emerge as a global arbitration hub, including studies for effective implementation of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 through legislative amendments and plans to establish the Arbitration Council of India.
Justice AK Sikri praised IICA's efforts in strengthening the arbitration ecosystem, noting that virtual and hybrid hearings have become a settled feature of arbitral practice post-pandemic. He emphasized that arbitration has become a structural necessity in dispute resolution regimes worldwide. The current cohort comprises 81 delegates with an average of 20+ years of experience across law, finance, engineering, corporate and public sectors. The 9-month program has been upgraded to include 250+ hours of comprehensive content across 20+ modules delivered by global experts, featuring two campus immersions focused on arbitral award writing in workshop mode.