Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has called for a cooperative framework of global jurisprudence founded on fairness, equity and human dignity, saying the law must continue to serve as the “north star” guiding nations towards shared and sustainable prosperity.
The CJI made the remarks while bringing the curtain down on the two-day BRICS+ Chief Justices’ Forum, 2026, hosted by the Supreme Court of India. The event marked a significant milestone for India, being the first occasion on which the country hosted the BRICS Chief Justices’ Forum, coinciding with its chairship of the grouping.
Addressing Chief Justices, Presidents and senior members of the judiciary from BRICS nations, Justice Kant described India’s role as host as both an honour and a responsibility, underscoring the importance of judicial dialogue in strengthening cooperation among diverse legal systems.
Reflecting on the two days of deliberations, he said the Forum had demonstrated the ability of law to operate as a bridge between jurisdictions, cultures and legal traditions, particularly at a time when cross-border disputes and technological and environmental challenges increasingly transcend national boundaries.
The Forum’s deliberations were structured around four substantive themes: mediation and contemporary dispute resolution, enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, the deployment of Artificial Intelligence in adjudication, and judicial leadership in ecological governance and sustainable energy transition.
On mediation, the CJI said the discussions had reinforced its position as an important component of modern justice delivery rather than merely a supplementary mechanism to conventional litigation. He emphasised that institutionalised mediation could help courts manage mounting commercial disputes while preserving confidence and predictability in cross-border business relationships.
The deliberations on enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, he said, brought the participating judiciaries face to face with practical impediments that continue to affect the effectiveness of international commercial arbitration despite the existence of longstanding treaty frameworks.
Justice Kant said the discussions pointed towards the need for greater procedural convergence among jurisdictions, particularly to ensure that commercial actors and investors have greater certainty regarding the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards across borders.
The Forum also examined the increasingly complex interface between technology and judicial decision-making. On Artificial Intelligence, the CJI stressed that technological tools could strengthen judicial efficiency and expand access to justice, but could never displace the independent application of judicial mind.
According to Justice Kant, AI must remain subordinate to judicial independence and human judgment. While technology could assist courts in dealing with large volumes of information and improving accessibility, the ultimate responsibility for adjudication must remain with judges exercising constitutional conscience and legal reasoning.
The final deliberation centred on ecological governance and the judiciary’s role in navigating the competing demands of economic development, energy transition and environmental protection. Justice Kant emphasised that judicial decision-making in this sphere carries consequences extending well beyond the immediate dispute, affecting the ecological inheritance of future generations.
He stressed that development must be reconciled with environmental stewardship and that the legal system has a critical role in ensuring that economic advancement does not undermine the natural systems upon which long-term prosperity depends.
Drawing together the four strands of the Forum, the CJI said the discussions demonstrated that fundamental legal values transcend national boundaries. Fairness, equity and human dignity, he observed, provide a common normative foundation even where constitutional arrangements, statutory regimes and judicial institutions differ.
He said the changing global landscape had made judicial cooperation increasingly important, requiring courts to engage with emerging challenges through sustained institutional dialogue rather than isolated national approaches.
Justice Kant also placed emphasis on the importance of translating the Forum’s deliberations into enduring frameworks of judicial cooperation. He said the responsibility of participating judiciaries did not end with the conclusion of courtroom proceedings, but extended to cultivating mutual understanding, strengthening institutional confidence and contributing to a rules-based environment conducive to sustainable growth.
The CJI expressed gratitude to his fellow judges of the Supreme Court, interpreters, administrative personnel and other members of the organising team whose efforts contributed to the successful conduct of the Forum.
Describing the participating judicial leaders as custodians of justice representing diverse and evolving civilisations, Justice Kant said the gathering had created an opportunity to deepen dialogue between legal systems while identifying areas of shared concern.
He called upon the participating judges to carry the spirit of the Forum into their respective jurisdictions and convert the consensus emerging from the deliberations into meaningful judicial and institutional engagement.
Concluding the two-day gathering, CJI Surya Kant said the jurisprudence developed through such exchanges should remain anchored in the principles of fairness, human dignity, cooperation and sustainability.
He urged the judiciary to ensure that law remains a guiding force amid emerging global challenges and opportunities, ultimately steering societies towards a future in which prosperity is not merely achieved, but shared equitably and sustained across generations.
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