
Justice Manmohan calls for agile legal framework to support trade, tech and trust
New Delhi [India], May 10 (ANI): The Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), in collaboration with the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and the Indian National Association of Legal Professionals (INALP), on Saturday successfully hosted the International Legal Conference 2025 on the theme 'India's Legal and Regulatory Framework: Navigating International Trade Opportunities.'
The conference brought together leading voices from the legal, policy, regulatory, and corporate sectors. The event was attended by Justice Manmohan, Judge of Supreme Court, as Chief Guest.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Justice Manmohan said, 'At times, the complexities of international law and the constantly shifting regulatory environment can feel like navigating through a storm--unpredictable, fast-changing, and demanding sharp legal foresight. Today's global challenges--from cross-border intellectual property enforcement to fintech innovation, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the rise of artificial intelligence--require legal systems to be far more agile, interoperable, and forward-thinking. Yet even amid this turbulence, our constitutional values provide a steady vessel, and the rule of law remains our most reliable compass.'
He further added, 'India's judiciary is committed to ensuring that the legal framework evolves in step with technological transformation and global trade dynamics. Initiatives like the e-Courts project and the Mediation Act represent a conscious shift toward greater efficiency, accessibility, and adaptability in the justice delivery system. By fostering legal innovation while preserving fairness and predictability, we can enable a regulatory ecosystem that not only upholds justice but also empowers sustainable economic growth in an interconnected world.'.
Presenting the introductory remarks, Dr Lalit Bhasin, Chairperson- Conference and President, SILF said, 'The Conference has been organised by Services Export Promotion Council to explore avenues of exporting India's legal services overseas and also to welcome more collaboration and cooperation with the foreign legal fraternity.
The Conference has explored India's evolving legal frameworks and their impact on international business, focusing on sectors such as Energy, Technology, Finance and Infrastructure. Experts have also discussed how to integrate ESG into the business model. Presentations were also made on the most topical issue today regarding Techno-Legal Regulations: AI, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity.'
He further added, 'The Dispute Resolution mechanism in India, which is far from satisfactory, was also discussed and the recent steps taken by the Government of India to promote mediation were welcomed. It was also felt that there is an immediate need to liberalise India's legal market by deleting stringent conditions regarding advertising, etc.'
Prominent dignitaries present at the conference included Dr Anju Rathi Rana, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, Dr. Lalit Bhasin, Chairperson- Conference and President, SILF; Dr Upasana Arora, Vice President, SEPC; Dr. Shardul S Shroff, Founder and Executive Chairman, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. and senior representatives from the Bar, Bench, top law firms, academia, industry, and regulatory bodies.
The conference also paid tribute to the brave personnel of the Indian Armed Forces and offered heartfelt homage to those who lost their lives in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Against the backdrop of heightened cross-border tensions, participants stood in solidarity with the families of the fallen and reaffirmed their collective commitment to the principles of justice, national unity, and the rule of law. (ANI)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Flight carrying 290 Indian students from Iran lands in Delhi, two more expected later today
A special evacuation flight carrying 290 Indian students stranded in conflict-hit Iran landed safely in Delhi late Friday night, marking the first phase of India's Operation Sindhu. Two more chartered flights, including one from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, are expected to land later on Saturday. Indian students returning from Iran via Armenia, under an evacuation operation facilitated by the Government of India, react as they meet their relatives while exiting from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 19, 2025.(PTI ) In a key gesture to support India's evacuation efforts, Iran opened its airspace despite ongoing regional hostilities. 'Iran's airspace is currently closed, but we're facilitating limited access for the safe evacuation of Indian nationals,' said Mohammad Javad Hosseini, deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy in Delhi. He added that additional flights may be planned in the coming days and confirmed close coordination with the Indian government. Evacuees recall uncertainty, horror in Iran Chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Hindustan Zindabad' rang out at Delhi Airport as soon as a special evacuation flight touched down in Indian territory. Students arriving in Delhi recounted harrowing days of uncertainty and praised Indian authorities for swift action. 'The Indian government has done a lot for us. I can't express how peaceful you feel when you reach your own country,' news agency PTI quoted one evacuee as she arrived from Mashhad. Sehrish Rafique, an MBBS student at Iran University of Medical Sciences, told ANI, 'The situation in Iran was quite devastating. At first, we didn't expect that it would escalate so much. All Kashmiris are really thankful to the Indian government.' Tazkiya Fatima, a resident of Noida, said, 'There is a situation of war over there. We were not sure how we would make it out…But the Government of India made the whole process very smooth,' reported ANI. The news agency talked to another evacuee, Mir Mohammad Musharraf, who said, 'I am from Pulwama, Kashmir. Operation Sindhu is amazing and really helpful. The services were excellent. We contacted our embassy. We were stuck in Tehran, unaware of what to do. Our landlords also left and were left behind. It was only our embassy that helped us reach here.' Several evacuees also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating their safe return. According to the ministry of external affairs, 'Out of the 290 Indians who landed today, 190 are from Jammu and Kashmir." The MEA further expressed happiness that Iran opened its airspace to facilitate this operation. "It reflects the strong ties between India and Iran,' said Arun Kumar Chatterjee, secretary (consular, passport and visa), MEA. Approx. 10,000 Indians living in Iran As the Israel-Iran war enters its second week, India has stepped up efforts to bring home its citizens from the region. Around 10,000 Indians—primarily students—were residing in Iran when the hostilities escalated. Most had been relocated from Tehran to safer cities like Qom and Mashhad before being evacuated. Indian authorities have not issued a formal evacuation advisory but have urged citizens in both Iran and Israel to remain vigilant and restrict movement. 'We are arranging for the safe passage of Indians who want to leave via air or via road through third countries, or directly from Iran,' Hosseini reiterated.


India Today
32 minutes ago
- India Today
Speculation rises over Uddhav-Raj alliance; civic poll seat-sharing major hurdle?
With speculations on rise over a potential alliance between Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ahead of the upcoming municipal elections, the Uddhav Thackeray faction faces a significant challenge: what kind of proposal should be offered to MNS, and for which seats? The issue is complicated by the comparable influence both parties wield in certain areas, creating a deadlock over the terms of a possible the 2017 municipal elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 84 seats, but 42 have since deserted the party. In contrast, MNS currently has no corporators, significantly weakening its position. Sources indicate that Uddhav Thackeray's faction believes its stronger standing in assembly constituencies like Dadar, Worli, Wadala, Sewri, Chembur and Bhandur justifies an alliance on their some leaders within the faction suspect that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will work to prevent this alliance, wary of its potential to disrupt their dominance in Maharashtra's local politics. Reflecting on past efforts, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar shared, 'Back then, I tried to bring Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray together. In politics, good or bad things happen when certain events unfold, but I have no idea what will happen next, so it's not appropriate to comment. Time always comes, and no time is ever bad. As the Mahabharata says, 'Time is the greatest force.' There's a lot in that statement.'advertisementShiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut dismissed suggestions of a one-sided approach, stating, 'Who told you there's no positive response? Is this one-sided love, like a Mughal-e-Azam film or Anarkali? Everyone treads carefully in politics. These are political developments, and the future of Mumbai and Maharashtra, along with the pride of Marathi identity, is at stake. They will do what's needed.'The speculation about a Raj-Uddhav alliance stems from their shared history in the undivided Shiv Sena, founded by Bal Thackeray. However, the need to counter the BJP's growing influence have fueled alliance talks. Despite the positive rhetoric from both sides, seat-sharing and local dynamics remain hurdles, and the BJP's potential interference adds further Watch


India Gazette
40 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Trump announces peace treaty between Congo and Rwanda, says
Washington, DC [USA], June 21 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said he had successfully brokered a peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, bringing an end to a war marked by 'violent bloodshed and death' that had lasted for decades. In a post on his media platform Truth Social, Trump said, 'I am very happy to report that I have arranged, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a wonderful Treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Rwanda, in their War, which was known for violent bloodshed and death, more so even than most other Wars, and has gone on for decades.' Trump added that representatives from both countries will be arriving in Washington on Monday to sign the agreement, calling it 'a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World!' Expanding on his global peace efforts, Trump took aim at the Nobel Peace Prize committee, stating, 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia (A massive Ethiopian built dam, stupidly financed by the United States of America, substantially reduces the water flowing into The Nile River), and I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which, if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional Countries signing on, and will unify the Middle East for the first time in 'The Ages!' 'No, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that's all that matters to me!' he added. Earlier on Friday, the White House Press Secretary said that US President Trump is expected to make a decision about whether to take direct action against Iran in the next two weeks. Karoline Leavitt, told reporters at a briefing here on Thursday (local time) that she had a message directly from Trump in response to speculation about whether he would get directly involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel.'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' the White House press secretary quoted Trump as saying. Leavitt said communication between the US and Iran 'has continued' as the two sides engage in negotiations. She, however, did not provide specifics about whether they were direct or through intermediaries. Iran must agree to no enrichment of uranium, and Tehran must not be able to achieve a nuclear weapon as part of any diplomatic agreement, Leavitt said. Trump, on Wednesday, when asked about a potential US strike on Iran, remained noncommittal.'I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do,' Trump told reporters. 'I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble. And they want to negotiate. And I say, 'Why didn't you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction?'', the US President said. Trump demanded that Iran give up its entire nuclear programme and has warned Iran to quickly surrender to a deal or face even more dire repercussions. On June 13, Israel launched an attack against Iran, carrying out strikes including against Iran's state television station. Tehran carried out a retaliatory attack, firing ballistic range missiles at Israel, targeting military and security installations, and hitting the Haifa oil refinery among others. The two countries have since then exchanged strikes. As per an analysis by Al Jazeera, Iran had long relied on its ally, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, to provide deterrence from direct Israeli attacks, but Hezbollah was significantly weakened after fighting an all-out war against Israel last year. In addition, Iran lost another ally when Syria's former President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December 2024. Iran could also make Americans feel the impact of the war economically. It has threatened to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which would affect global trade and increase oil prices. (ANI)