India has secured another significant position in an international legal institution with the election of Bimal Patel as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).The announcement was made by India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations on Thursday. Congratulating Patel, the mission said, “Congratulations to Prof. Dr Bimal N Patel for being elected as Judge of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in New York today. His election takes forward India’s enduring commitment to multilateralism and the Law of the Sea.”The mission also thanked member states for their support and praised all candidates for their commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).Patel currently serves as a Member of the UN International Law Commission and is the Chairman of its Working Group on Succession of States in respect of State Responsibility. He is also the Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Public International Law at Rashtriya Raksha University. In addition, he is a member of the National Security Advisory Board under the National Security Council Secretariat in the Prime Minister’s Office.The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is an independent judicial body established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It hears disputes related to the interpretation and application of the Convention. These cases can involve maritime boundaries, navigation rights, conservation of marine resources, environmental protection and marine scientific research.The tribunal consists of 21 independent judges elected by states that are party to the Convention. India is already represented in the tribunal’s leadership through Vice President Neeru Chadha. With Patel’s election, India’s presence in one of the world’s most important maritime legal institutions has grown further.
Who is Bimal Patel?
- Bimal Patel is an Indian jurist, academic and administrator with more than 30 years of experience in international law, public policy, legal research and higher education. He is currently the Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Public International Law at Rashtriya Raksha University.
- He has an extensive academic background. Patel holds a PhD and an LLM in International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands. He also earned a PhD in International Law from Jaipur National University and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Amsterdam.
- Before moving into the field of law and international relations, he completed a Bachelor of Science degree from Anand Agriculture University in Gujarat.
- Patel served as the Director and Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) from 2008 to 2019. During his tenure, he led the university’s academic, research and administrative activities and helped expand its national and international profile.
- He is a Member of the UN International Law Commission and currently chairs its Working Group on Succession of States in respect of State Responsibility. He has also contributed to discussions on maritime law, piracy, international organisations and dispute settlement.
- Patel is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board under the National Security Council Secretariat in the Prime Minister’s Office.
- His professional career includes nearly 15 years of work with international organisations, including the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, Netherlands. There, he worked on legal affairs, treaty implementation and international cooperation.
- He has been associated with several important policy and law-making initiatives in India, including work related to maritime security, anti-piracy legislation, shipping laws and legal reforms.
- Patel has authored and edited numerous books and research publications on international law, maritime law, national security and global governance. His work is widely cited in academic and policy circles.
- Over the years, he has taught, researched and delivered lectures at universities and institutions across India and abroad, building a reputation as one of the country’s leading experts in international law.
