Indian international law expert takes oath at the Hamburg-based tribunal, succeeding Neeru Chadha and continuing India’s representation on the UN maritime law body.
United Nations, Oct 2026 : Indian jurist Bimal Patel has been sworn in as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), beginning his nine-year term at the Hamburg-based judicial body responsible for adjudicating disputes concerning the world’s seas and oceans.
Patel took the oath of office on Thursday at the tribunal in Hamburg, Germany. His appointment continues India’s presence on the international judicial body following the completion of the term of Neeru Chadha, who served as a vice president of the tribunal and completed her tenure on Wednesday.
An expert in international law, Patel was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission and served as Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat. He was elected to ITLOS last year by states that are parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In the election held at the UN headquarters in New York, Patel secured 115 votes out of 168 valid votes, winning a seat on the 21-member tribunal.
ITLOS was established under UNCLOS, the 1982 international convention that provides the legal framework governing the use of the world's oceans and seas. The tribunal interprets the convention and settles maritime disputes between states and other parties within its jurisdiction.
A total of 172 countries have acceded to UNCLOS. The 21 judges of ITLOS are elected for staggered terms and represent different geographical regions to maintain broad international representation.
Patel was among five judges sworn in during the latest ceremony. The other four were Sylvia Ama Adusu of Ghana, George Rodrigo Bandeira Galindo of Brazil, Slim Laghmani of Tunisia and Lan-Anh Thi Nguyen of Viet Nam.
Patel holds PhDs in International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands and Jaipur National University. Over the course of his career, he has held several positions involving international law, national security and strategic affairs.
He has also served as a member of the National Security Advisory Board of the National Security Council Secretariat.
Based in Hamburg, ITLOS functions as an independent judicial body under UNCLOS. Its mandate includes resolving disputes related to the interpretation and application of the convention, reinforcing the international legal framework governing maritime activities.
