Kolkata: The ABA India Conference 2023 on “Law in the Age of Glocalisation: Convergence of India and the West” was held on 3rd March 2023 in New Delhi. The international conference was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court of India, who also delivered the keynote address.
“The Indian constitution, is a prime example of globalization even before we ventured into the age of globalization. While the Constitution was framed in a world which was starkly different from the globalized world in which we presently live, it is no secret that the drafters carefully reviewed the constitution of several countries and learned from their experiences whether it was in the context of the due process of law or a variety of constitutional concepts which have now become a part of our own tradition. The chief architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had explained the importance of global engagement in the process of constitution drafting. He further added that the Indian Constitution was not merely an inspiration from the global discourse, but was based on the local aspirations of the country. In that sense, our founding document had a combination of both the global and local and produced a uniquely Indian Glocal product as the Constitution took inspiration from the global jurisprudence and la, it was innately routed to India. As we discuss this seven decades later, there is no doubt that the Constitution was a transformative force in our society. The Constitution was grounded in our social and political context while also trying to incorporate global practices,” He said.
The inaugural ceremony was also graced by Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, Ms. Lubna Shuja, President of the Law Society of England and Wales and Mr. Marcos Rios, Chair of the ABA International Law Section.
Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India said, “When we talk of globalization, we necessarily talk of contribution of local products and contribution of those products in the global economy. We have started digitization in India and as a nation there are two very remarkable schemes called Digital India and Startup India. We have 750 million mobile internet users as on date, and India is adding one Internet user every second. That’s the impact of globalization. A local man selling local products or discharging some local services is now connected with the globe with the global business look and global services etc. To ensure that the country is safe and healthy. India has the largest insurance scheme in the world called Ayushman Bharat, which encompasses and covers 500 million people. It’s completely cashless, completely seamless, and completely paperless. That’s the impact of globalization. And the goal is to ensure that an Indian citizen not only contributes to the global manufacturing or global services, but also can compete at the international level while international players come here and utilize human capacities in India.”
“The ABA India Conference 2023 will bring together renowned judges, jurists, advocates, legal academics and practitioners, and law students from some of the most prominent organisations in India. It is the first distinguished gathering of its kind in India, especially after the pandemic; and the O.P. Jindal Global University and Jindal Global Law School are proud to be the global academic advisors for the conference. We look forward to three days of deliberations and discussions on contemporary, national and international legal issues.” said Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University.
The distinguished speakers for the conference will include judges of the Supreme Court of India. The conference will also witness special addresses and conversations with distinguished ministers and policymakers which include, Union Minister Piyush Goyal; Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP, Lok Sabha; Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, MP, Rajya Sabha; Amitabh Kant, G-20 Sherpa, Government of India; Dr. Saurabh Garg, Chief Executive Officer, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI); Ashish Kumar Chauhan, Chief Executive Officer, National Stock Exchange; along with other policymakers, and the founders and managing partners of leading Indian law firms.
The conference is endorsed as a G-20 event by the Government of India. Amitabh Kant, G-20 sherpa, Government of India would be delivering the special address during the conference. The conference will have discussions around India’s G-20 presidency, which has significant contemporary relevance and importance.
With more than 100 thought leaders across 21 thematic sessions with 13 special addresses and 5 plenary sessions, the conference will provide a global platform and context to the convergence of the west and India in the legal sphere and address numerous challenges and innovations required as we move forward.
The ABA is the largest voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students in the world, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States of America. The ABA’s most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, the formulation of model ethical codes related to the legal profession and dissemination of legal research. The ABA International Law Section serves as a gateway between international legal practitioners in the US and those practicing around the globe.
