In a significant milestone for the Indian legal profession, Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora and Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala have been admitted as Registered Foreign Lawyers before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) with full rights of audience.
Their admission authorises them to appear as counsel in qualifying proceedings before the SICC and in relevant appeals arising from such proceedings, in accordance with the Singapore Legal Profession Act and the Legal Profession (Representation in Singapore International Commercial Court) Rules.
The admission is particularly noteworthy as Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora becomes only the third Indian Senior Advocate to be granted full rights of audience before the Singapore International Commercial Court. Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala likewise joins the select panel of foreign lawyers authorised to appear before the SICC in qualifying proceedings and relevant appeals.
Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora and Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala primarily practise before the Supreme Court of India, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), and various High Courts across the country. They maintain offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Shimla and Hyderabad, and have established practices in commercial litigation, arbitration, insolvency, corporate law, constitutional law and regulatory disputes. Both are recognised practitioners in domestic and international commercial arbitration and regularly advise and represent clients in complex, high-value commercial matters. Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law from the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in, among other subjects, International Commercial Litigation and International Investment Law.
Speaking on the occasion, Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora said:
“It is a privilege to be admitted before the Singapore International Commercial Court with full rights of audience. Singapore has built an institution of genuine international standing, and the willingness of its courts to admit foreign counsel reflects a confidence in the legal profession that is worth reciprocating. I look forward to contributing to the resolution of complex cross-border commercial disputes while continuing my practice in India.”
Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala said:
“This is a deeply satisfying professional milestone. Having studied International Commercial Litigation at the University of Cambridge, it is particularly gratifying to now be admitted before one of the world’s foremost international commercial courts. I remain fully committed to my practice before the Supreme Court of India, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal and various High Courts across the country. For Indian businesses, disputes rarely stop at national borders—a contract governed by one law is often enforced under another, while insolvency and arbitration proceedings increasingly run in parallel across jurisdictions. Being able to represent clients before the Singapore International Commercial Court alongside my practice in India enables me to advise and represent clients seamlessly across the lifecycle of cross-border disputes. I hope this admission will further strengthen legal collaboration between India and Singapore.”
The Singapore International Commercial Court, a division of the Supreme Court of Singapore, is one of the world’s leading specialist commercial courts for the resolution of complex international and transnational commercial disputes. Eligible foreign lawyers who satisfy the prescribed statutory requirements may be admitted as Registered Foreign Lawyers with rights of audience in qualifying proceedings and relevant appeals.
The admission of Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora and Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala reflects the increasing participation of Indian advocates in international commercial litigation and arbitration. It also underscores the growing role of Indian lawyers in the resolution of sophisticated cross-border commercial disputes and reinforces the expanding legal and commercial relationship between India and Singapore.
About the Counsel
Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora is a designated Senior Advocate practising before the Supreme Court of India along with several other High Courts and tribunals.
Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala is an advocate practising before the Supreme Court of India. He holds an LL.M. in International Law from the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in International Commercial Litigation. He also serves as Additional Standing Counsel for the New Delhi Municipal Council.
