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Chief Justice of India Surya Kant Proposes '' and for BRICS+ Cooperation
In a landmark address at the 11th
in New Delhi, Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant introduced a visionary framework for judicial cooperation among BRICS+ nations, proposing a dedicated
and a shared digital repository of case law, while coining the terms '
' and '
' to encapsulate the fusion of
with economic prosperity. Speaking at the inaugural plenary on
"
in a Multipolar World: Building Legal Capacity for Economic Resilience,"
the Chief Justice underscored the critical role of strong judicial institutions in sustaining economic growth amidst global volatility and fragmentation of multilateral governance.
The proposals come as India assumes the chair of the
for the fourth time in
, under the theme
"Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability."
The address signals a deliberate effort to deepen legal ties among the 11 member states, which collectively represent over 40% of the world's population and nearly 40% of global GDP in purchasing power parity terms. Justice Surya Kant's emphasis on
and legal connectivity reflects a growing recognition that rule-of-law infrastructure is as vital to economic resilience as fiscal or monetary policy.
'' – A Bridge Between Legal Traditions
The centerpiece of the Chief Justice's address was the introduction of '
', a phrase meaning "bridge of justice." He urged the forum to adopt this term as a symbol of legal connectivity linking the diverse legal traditions of BRICS+ nations.
"If there is one phrase you absorb into your vocabulary this morning, let it be
, a bridge of justice that connects 11 legal traditions which have mutually agreed that trust should be cultivated deliberately rather than awaited passively,"
Justice Surya Kant told the gathering.
This concept is intended to move beyond passive expectations of mutual understanding and instead create deliberate mechanisms for trust-building. The bridge metaphor extends to practical initiatives: the proposed BRICS+ , under which career judges from member countries would spend short periods observing proceedings in courts across other jurisdictions. Such exchanges, the Chief Justice explained, would allow legal professionals to directly experience different judicial systems, engage with diverse legal traditions, and cultivate greater institutional familiarity.
Complementing the fellowship, the Chief Justice proposed the establishment of a
, drawing on India's significant investment in digitizing case law.
"A judgment written in New Delhi, Brasilia, or Pretoria need not wait years to inform a bench elsewhere facing an identical question,"
he said. The repository would enable courts across BRICS+ countries to access judgments from other member states, fostering
and reducing delays in the application of
.
India's own experience with large-scale digitization of court records through platforms such as the provides a model for this initiative. The repository could serve as a multilateral judicial database, allowing judges to quickly locate foreign rulings on similar issues—ranging from commercial arbitration to constitutional rights—and thus enrich domestic jurisprudence with international perspectives.
'': The Economics of Justice
In a notable conceptual contribution, Justice Surya Kant coined the term '
'—a portmanteau of "Nyaya" (justice) and "economics"—to describe the direct synthesis of the
and economic prosperity.
"I have attempted to coin a term that would perfectly describe the marriage between the
and how it permeates favourable economic conditions—
, or more simply the economics of justice,"
he stated.
He argued that sustained economic growth relies not merely on geography or natural resources, but on institutional stability, trust, and predictability.
"The scale at which our country is progressing, and this holds true for each of the BRICS Plus nations, owes itself to the nature of our institutions, the judiciary being chief among them,"
he emphasized. This framing is particularly relevant as BRICS+ economies seek to diversify away from commodity dependence and build knowledge-based, resilient economies anchored by robust legal frameworks.
Attorney General's Call for Renewed
Attorney General for India , who also addressed the plenary, echoed the theme of institutional adaptation. He observed that technological transformation, changing patterns of global connectivity, and the sharing of common resources compel a renewed understanding of the . He called for a redefinition of the concept of the "" and stressed that economic resilience must be measured not only by efficiency but also by equality, justice, sustainability, and collective value creation.
The Attorney General further noted that governance and judicial institutions, originally designed to perform specific functions in a bygone era, are increasingly facing new stresses and challenges. He underscored the need for institutions to become more open and cooperative, and urged the legal profession to play an active role in addressing the emerging demands of the next generation of the . His remarks highlighted that cooperation among BRICS+ legal systems must be proactive, not reactive.
Support from the Bar: Arbitration and Dispute Resolution
The need for stronger legal cooperation was reinforced by
, Vice President of the
. He noted that when BRICS was formed, its principal focus was on strengthening economic and financial cooperation.
"Over the years, BRICS has grown into a much broader platform for engagement and cooperation,"
he said. As economic ties deepen, legal relationships inevitably follow, particularly as cross-border investments grow and projects become more complex.
Naganand emphasized the importance of efficient, accessible, and cost-efficient
.
"The establishment and development of the BRICS Legal Forum provides an excellent opportunity to look at these issues collectively, to understand each other's legal systems, learn from each other's experience and explore how we can make dispute resolution between our countries simpler and more effective,"
he explained. In response, the
has taken the initiative to establish a
in New Delhi, which would serve as a neutral venue for resolving commercial disputes among member states.
Implications for Legal Practice and International Cooperation
The proposals outlined by the Chief Justice and the Attorney General carry significant implications for legal practice across BRICS+ jurisdictions. The could foster a cadre of judges with firsthand exposure to foreign legal systems, enhancing cross-cultural competence and reducing parochialism in judicial reasoning. The would accelerate the transnational flow of legal ideas, potentially leading to greater harmonization of commercial law, human rights standards, and procedural norms.
For law firms and legal professionals operating within BRICS+ countries, these initiatives signal an increasing demand for lawyers who are familiar with multiple legal systems and capable of advising on cross-border transactions and disputes. The establishment of the in New Delhi also positions India as a key hub for international dispute resolution in the Global South, echoing the success of other arbitration centres in Singapore and Dubai.
Conclusion
As the 11th concluded, the overarching message was one of deliberate -building. The concepts of '' and '' provide a fresh vocabulary for discussing the intersection of law and economic development, while the practical proposals for a and a jurisprudence repository offer concrete steps toward deeper legal integration. With India at the helm of the in , the legal community can expect continued momentum toward building resilient, cooperative legal frameworks that serve not only the member states but also the broader goal of a rules-based multipolar world order.
