Authority: Supreme Court of India (Civil Original Jurisdiction)
Order Date: 03 August 2026
Case Overview
- Parties: M/s World Metals and Alloys (FZC), a UAE‑incorporated company, and Kineta Global Limited, an Indian iron‑ore trading company based in Hyderabad.
- Contract: Sale and Purchase Contract dated 08‑02‑2021 for supply of 40,000 metric tonnes of Iron Ore Fines, amended by Addendum‑1 on 15‑06‑2021, with delivery deadline 15‑07‑2021.
- Payments: Petitioner paid an aggregate advance of USD 3,000,000 between February and March 2021. Respondent supplied material valued at USD 2,284,489.95 (Commercial Invoice dated 26‑07‑2021) and acknowledged a remaining balance of USD 715,510.05, confirmed by a Balance Confirmation dated 11‑10‑2022 (digitally signed by Sachin Kumar Srivastava).
- Dispute: Respondent failed to supply the remaining quantity of iron ore or refund the admitted balance despite a demand notice dated 24‑09‑2024.
- Arbitration Clause: Clause 14 of the contract requires friendly negotiation first and, failing that, arbitration in India under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
- Arbitrator Selection Attempts: Petitioner proposed Advocate Amit Bhatt as sole arbitrator (communication dated 08‑10‑2025). Respondent objected and proposed Advocate Dr. D. Brahma Naidu (reply dated 16‑10‑2025). No mutual agreement was reached.
- Petition: Petitioner filed Arbitration Petition No. 14 of 2026 under Sections 11(4) and 11(6) of the Arbitration Act seeking appointment of a sole arbitrator.
Final Outcome
- The Court allowed the arbitration petition and appointed Hon’ble Justice Rao Raghunandan Rao (former Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court) as the sole arbitrator to resolve the dispute.
- Seat and venue of arbitration: Hyderabad, Telangana, India, as per the arbitration agreement.
- The arbitrator is authorized to determine his own remuneration/fees.
- All pending interlocutory applications, if any, are disposed of.
Topics: Arbitration, International Trade Dispute