Indian jurist and academician Dr. Bimal N. Patel was sworn in as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on 1 October 2026 at the Tribunal’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. Patel, an expert in international law and the law of the sea, began a nine-year term covering 2026–2035. He had been elected to the Tribunal at the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. ITLOS is an international judicial body established under UNCLOS to adjudicate disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the law of the sea. Patel’s appointment continues India’s participation in maritime legal issues.
Date of oath: 1 October 2026 in Hamburg.
Patel begins a nine-year term (2026–2035).
Elected at the 36th Meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS.
ITLOS handles disputes under UNCLOS on maritime law.
This appointment indicates India’s active role in international maritime governance.