New Delhi, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Saturday called for a culture of healthy disagreement and deliberation among judicial institutions, stressing that timely and predictable delivery of justice is essential to strengthening the rule of law.
Addressing heads of delegations and delegates from BRICS member states and partner countries on the second day of the BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum in New Delhi, Justice Kant drew a parallel with the ancient Nalanda University, saying BRICS should evolve into a similar platform for dialogue and exchange.
Recalling Nalanda’s global stature, the CJI said students and researchers from across the world were admitted without discrimination or barriers.
“What made Nalanda University truly unique was that it never asked its scholars to first agree upon a Common System of Law or philosophy before it admitted them,” Justice Kant said.
Instead, he said, Nalanda provided “a healthy and hospitable space for disagreement and deliberation”.
“BRICS should also be known as the living Nalanda University,” he said.
The three-day Forum, hosted by the Supreme Court of India from September 4 to 6, has brought together judicial leaders from BRICS member states and partner countries to discuss contemporary challenges in justice delivery and judicial cooperation.
The second day featured addresses by judicial leaders from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE, along with representatives from partner countries including Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court President Luiz Edson Fachin, in a video address, called for greater international cooperation and multipolarity while emphasising the importance of international law and the rule of law amid global instability.
China’s Chief Justice and President of the Supreme People’s Court Zhang Jun highlighted judicial cooperation and solidarity among BRICS members and partners. He also stressed rule-based international trade, the judiciary’s role in advancing social equity, and the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in judicial functioning and cross-border commercial disputes.
Judicial leaders from Egypt and Ethiopia highlighted the need for a fair legal system, a common global legal voice, Alternative Dispute Resolution and the connection between the rule of law and economic development.
Indonesia’s Chief Justice Sunarto called for sharing best practices and establishing a durable platform for judicial dialogue. Iran’s Chief Justice Ayatollah Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i raised concerns over human rights, sovereignty, territorial integrity, humanitarian crises and civilian displacement.
Russia’s Chief Justice Igor Krasnov underlined BRICS’ role in fostering cooperation and a multipolar world, while South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal President Mahube Betty Molemela called for stronger cooperation on international issues and highlighted the judiciary’s role in ecological governance.
UAE Federal Supreme Court President Mohammed Hamad Al Badi Al Dhaheri emphasised the importance of arbitration and mediation in the modern economy. He said digital technology and AI could improve justice delivery but should not remove the human element from the process, while also stressing the importance of environmental law in safeguarding future generations.
The Forum’s deliberations focused on four themes: mediation and international commercial disputes, cross-border enforcement of arbitral awards, AI and the judiciary, and judicial leadership and sustainable development.
Discussions examined mediation as a mechanism for resolving international commercial disputes, challenges surrounding enforcement of arbitral awards, procedural harmonisation, the impact of AI and digital innovation on judicial administration, and judicial leadership in ecological governance and sustainable energy systems.
On Friday, Justice Kant also held bilateral meetings with judicial leaders from BRICS member and partner countries. Discussions covered judicial cooperation, mediation and arbitration, commercial courts and the use of AI in justice delivery.
The CJI also discussed possible Memoranda of Understanding on judicial cooperation, mutual recognition of judicial awards and decrees, and exchanges of legal best practices.
He emphasised the importance of efficient commercial courts in boosting foreign investor confidence and explored common platforms for arbitration and mediation to resolve commercial disputes.
Justice Kant further discussed using institutions such as the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal for professional exchange programmes and holding bilateral conferences on contemporary legal issues.
The day’s deliberations concluded with an emphasis on deeper judicial dialogue, experience-sharing and cooperation among BRICS members and partner countries on emerging legal and institutional challenges.
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