Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced his government’s readiness to set up an International Arbitration Centre in Vizag, with the goal of creating a strong Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) ecosystem that could even surpass Singapore’s global model.
Speaking at the International Mediation Conference organised by the Asian Centre for International Arbitration and Mediation (ACIAM) in Vizag on Friday, the Chief Minister said that mediation and arbitration ensure faster and more accessible justice, forming the backbone of an “ease of justice” system.
Naidu pointed out India’s long tradition of mediation, recalling how Lord Krishna acted as a mediator and how disputes were historically resolved by ancestors and village elders. While acknowledging delays in conventional court processes, he said that the judiciary remains a cornerstone of democracy, protecting constitutional rights with impartiality and transparency.
He described mediation as a dignified alternative to intimidating court proceedings, and called for technology-driven ADR systems to meet the demands of a growing society.
Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur stressed the urgent need for judicial manpower, pointing out that the state currently has only 650 judges and requires 800 more to clear pending cases.
He suggested mandatory 40-hour training for mediators, noting that 1,400 mediators have already been trained and another 800 will be trained by December. He also proposed a certification mechanism to assess mediator proficiency, while flagging the need for stricter oversight of retired judges and bureaucrats working as arbitrators to maintain credibility.
Supreme Court judges Surya Kant and P.S. Narasimha also addressed the conference, underlining trust as the foundation of mediation and arbitration. National Law Institute Bhopal Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Suryaprakash proposed the creation of an International School of Maritime Law in Visakhapatnam, citing the city’s long coastline and the growing number of maritime disputes, currently handled mainly in Mumbai.
Expanding on the state’s futuristic vision, the Chief Minister announced plans to develop a Space City near Tirupati, aimed at boosting Andhra Pradesh’s role in the global space sector. The project will focus on launching private satellites, drawing inspiration from SpaceX, and fostering innovation and investment in space technology.
Naidu said this initiative would mark a shift from observing space achievements to actively contributing to them, in line with the state’s broader technological ambitions. The Space City, he added, would complement the upcoming Drone City and the Quantum Computing Centre, showcasing Andhra Pradesh’s commitment to becoming a hub for advanced science and technology.
Also read: Vizag Food Festival 2025: Seafood Extravaganza at RK Beach!
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