The three-day BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum began in New Delhi on September 4, 2026, with discussions on judicial cooperation and cross-border justice.
What Happened
The BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum began in New Delhi on September 4, 2026, hosted by the Supreme Court of India. The three-day forum will continue until September 6, bringing together Chief Justices, Presidents of Supreme Courts, and senior judicial leaders from BRICS member states and partner countries.
The participating BRICS members are Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the UAE. Partner countries attending the forum are Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
On the opening day, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant held bilateral meetings with judicial leaders from 10 countries. The meetings included representatives from Russia, China, Egypt, Indonesia, the UAE, Belarus, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Iran, and Uzbekistan.
Background / Context
The forum brings judicial institutions into the wider framework of BRICS cooperation. While the grouping has traditionally been associated with economic and diplomatic engagement, the participation of senior judicial leaders creates an opportunity to discuss legal cooperation across different jurisdictions.
The opening-day meetings also build on Justice Surya Kant’s earlier advocacy at the 11th BRICS+ Legal Forum for a BRICS+ Judicial Fellowship and a shared jurisprudence repository. He has referred to this idea as Nyay Setu, or a bridge of justice.
Reactions / Implications
The discussions focused on strengthening judicial cooperation and bilateral relations, including the possibility of memoranda of understanding for judicial cooperation between participating countries. The meetings also considered how judicial institutions can support stronger relations between countries through professional exchanges and coordinated legal engagement.
A significant part of the discussions concerned mediation and arbitration in commercial and corporate disputes. Justice Surya Kant proposed creating a common platform for arbitration and mediation to address commercial disputes. The proposal reflects the importance of providing a conducive environment for cross-border business activity and resolving disputes through effective legal mechanisms.
The participants also discussed the importance of efficient commercial courts in building foreign investor confidence. Mutual recognition of judicial awards and decrees was another area of discussion, with the aim of making cross-border enforcement of judicial decisions more effective.
Professional exchanges through institutions such as the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, and the exchange of best legal practices were also discussed. The possibility of bilateral conferences on contemporary legal issues formed part of the wider conversation on judicial cooperation.
Technology and artificial intelligence in the justice system were discussed in the context of improving judicial efficiency. The meetings also underlined the importance of expeditious judicial processes and their role in strengthening people-to-people ties.
Justice Surya Kant further underlined the judiciary’s role in building coordinated bilateral cooperation and strengthening relations between countries. The forum therefore represents an effort to connect judicial dialogue with broader cooperation between participating states.
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