Cross-Border Bar Breakthrough: Senior Advocate Arora, Advocate Manubarwala Join Select Panel of SICC Registered Foreign Lawyers

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

New Delhi: 3, September, 2026- In a landmark development for the Indian legal fraternity, Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora and Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala have been admitted as Registered Foreign Lawyers before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), conferring upon them full rights of audience in qualifying proceedings and relevant appeals.

A Milestone for Indian Advocacy

The admission, effected under the Singapore Legal Profession Act and the Legal Profession (Representation in Singapore International Commercial Court) Rules, marks a significant expansion of the footprint of Indian counsel in international commercial dispute resolution.

Senior Advocate Vijay Kumar Arora now becomes only the third Indian Senior Advocate to be granted full rights of audience before the SICC, joining an elite cohort of foreign lawyers authorised to appear before one of the world’s premier specialist commercial courts. Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala likewise joins this select panel, underscoring the increasing participation of Indian advocates in sophisticated cross-border litigation and arbitration.

Profiles and Practice Areas

Both advocates maintain a substantial domestic practice, appearing regularly before the Supreme Court of India, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), and various High Courts across the country.

Their offices span New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Shimla, and Hyderabad, reflecting a pan-India presence in commercial litigation, arbitration, insolvency, corporate law, constitutional matters, and regulatory disputes.

Advocate Aditya Bharat Manubarwala holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law from the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in International Commercial Litigation and International Investment Law, among other subjects.

Statements on Admission

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 observed

“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, the SICC is recognised globally as a leading specialist forum for complex international and transnational commercial disputes. Under the prevailing statutory framework, eligible foreign lawyers who satisfy prescribed requirements may be admitted as Registered Foreign Lawyers with rights of audience in qualifying proceedings and relevant appeals.

The admission of Senior Advocate Arora and Advocate Manubarwala reflects 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.scconline

Broader Context: India–Singapore Legal Convergence

The development arrives against a backdrop of deepening India–Singapore legal ties. India has consistently ranked among the top three foreign users of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) for nearly a decade, with 178 Indian parties arbitrating at SIAC in 2025 alone.

At the same time, senior Indian judges have highlighted the need for greater representation of Indian counsel on international arbitral tribunals, noting that while India contributes heavily to SIAC’s caseload, Indian lawyers receive comparatively few arbitral appointments.

Against this landscape, the admission of two prominent Indian advocates to the SICC roster signals both recognition of the quality of Indian advocacy and an opening for more seamless representation of Indian clients in Singapore-seated commercial disputes.