External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday delivered the inaugural address at an international conference marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.

He called for a harmonised, rules-based legal architecture to safeguard global trade against intensifying geopolitical volatility, supply chain disruptions and rapid technological shifts.

He told the gathering of international delegates, jurists and legal experts that the world is witnessing unprecedented turbulence. These developments, he said, are affecting the movement of goods, services, capital and data across borders, exposing businesses and governments to risks that no country can withstand in isolation.

The minister stressed that legal development cannot remain insulated from changing global realities. He argued that standardised legal frameworks are critical to ensuring that cross-border flows continue reliably amidst systemic uncertainty.

He emphasised that nations are seeking legal predictability above all else. What they require, he said, is not only infrastructure and connectivity but most importantly harmonised, rules-based architecture. Such frameworks, he explained, would ensure that trade, data flows and contract enforcement remain seamless across borders and continents.

EAM Jaishankar highlighted the importance of efficient dispute-resolution mechanisms and greater certainty in cross-border transactions. He noted that UNCITRAL’s work in advancing harmonised legal frameworks is central to maintaining resilience in trade and commerce even during disruption.

Looking ahead, he pointed to the shifting global economic centre of gravity. He insisted that tomorrow’s legal architecture must be more democratic, inclusive and attuned to the needs of developing nations. He underlined that UNCITRAL’s mission in its next chapter must be to act as a leveller, bridging the gap between developed and developing economies.

The minister also underlined India’s longstanding engagement with UNCITRAL, noting that India is one of only eight countries with continuous membership. He explained that India’s domestic legal framework has drawn inspiration from UNCITRAL instruments, citing reforms in arbitration, commercial dispute resolution and insolvency as evidence of India’s commitment to creating an internationally compatible legal environment.

He directly linked these reforms to India’s broader vision of economic transformation. He said that India, now one of the fastest-growing major economies, has set out its vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. 

This vision is founded on resilience, technological innovation, expanded manufacturing and deeper integration with the global economy. Achieving these objectives, he stressed, requires predictable legal frameworks that facilitate international trade, investment and commercial cooperation.

Reaffirming India’s support for a consensus-driven approach, Jaishankar urged broad participation to ensure that international norms reflect global developmental realities. He underlined the stakes of the Global South in shaping the evolution of international trade law.

He noted that India’s active engagement across UNCITRAL’s Working Groups reflects its conviction that international legal norms must be shaped through inclusive dialogue and broad participation. He emphasised that developing countries have an important stake in ensuring that trade law reflects their priorities and practical realities.

Concluding his address, Jaishankar congratulated the UNCITRAL Secretariat on its landmark anniversary and felicitated the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme Court of India and all co-organisers. 

He expressed confidence that the deliberations would generate fresh ideas and inspire the next generation of legal scholars, jurists, practitioners and policymakers to contribute to the progressive development of international trade law.

Reflecting on his remarks in a post on X, he wrote that UNCITRAL has made key contributions towards harmonisation, modernisation and progressive development of international trade law. He underlined the profound global transformations driven by technological changes, digital commerce, evolving supply chains and new patterns of investment.

He reiterated the necessity of predictable and harmonised legal frameworks, efficient dispute-resolution mechanisms and greater certainty in cross-border transactions. He also stressed the stakes of the Global South and reaffirmed India’s unwavering commitment to creating a modern, transparent and internationally compatible legal environment.

UNCITRAL, established by the United Nations, plays a central role in promoting the harmonisation and modernisation of international trade law. It develops legislative and non-legislative instruments to facilitate cross-border trade and investment, ensuring that international commerce remains resilient and inclusive.

ANI