The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996

[16th August, 1996.]

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to domestic arbitration, international

commercial arbitration and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards as also to define the law

relating to conciliation and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Preamble.—WHEREAS the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

has adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration in 1985;

AND WHEREAS the General Assembly of the United Nations has recommended that all countries give

due consideration to the said Model Law, in view of the desirability of uniformity of the law of arbitral

procedures and the specific needs of international commercial arbitration practice;

AND WHEREAS the UNCITRAL has adopted the UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules in 1980;

AND WHEREAS the General Assembly of the United Nations has recommended the use of the said

Rules in cases where a dispute arises in the context of international commercial relations and the parties

seek an amicable settlement of that dispute by recourse to conciliation;

AND WHEREAS the said Model Law and Rules make significant contribution to the establishment of a

unified legal framework for the fair and efficient settlement of disputes arising in international

commercial relations;

AND WHEREAS it is expedient to make law respecting arbitration and conciliation, taking into account

the aforesaid Model Law and Rules;

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:—