ITLOS Adds New Judge from India as Neeru Chadha’s Term Ends

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) welcomed Bimal Patel as its newest judge on Thursday, marking the conclusion of Indian judge Neeru Chadha’s tenure. Patel’s nine‑year appointment was confirmed at a United Nations voting session in New York, where he secured 115 votes out of 168 valid ballots cast by member states that have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Patel brings a robust background in international maritime law, having served on the UN International Law Commission and as vice‑chancellor of Gujarat National Defence University. He holds doctoral degrees in international law from Leiden University (Netherlands) and Jaipur National University. His domestic roles have included membership on the National Security Advisory Board and participation in the National Security Council Secretariat.

ITLOS, an autonomous judicial entity based in Hamburg, Germany, resolves conflicts involving the seas and oceans and interprets the 1982 UNCLOS treaty. The tribunal’s composition of 21 judges is designed to reflect diverse world regions, with staggered terms to ensure continuity. Alongside Patel, four judges from Ghana, Brazil, Tunisia and Vietnam were also sworn in, reinforcing the tribunal’s multinational character.

Patel’s induction safeguards India’s ongoing involvement in shaping the legal framework that governs global maritime activities, from fisheries to navigation rights and seabed resource exploitation.