15th UN Congress: India Presents New Criminal Laws and Digital Justice Reforms

India presented its efforts toward building a modern, citizen-centric, and technology-enabled justice system at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Abu Dhabi. This year's congress was organized under the theme "Accelerating Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and Rule of Law: Protecting People and Planet and Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Digital Age."

Addressing the congress, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal, provided details regarding India's new criminal laws—the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. He highlighted the special focus placed on technology, speedy justice, forensic investigation, and digital-first processes within these laws.

To combat cybercrime, Mr. Meghwal emphasized the role of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, which assist in rapid reporting, fraud prevention, and the freezing of mule accounts. Reiterating India's zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, he stressed the need for global cooperation against organized and environmental crimes, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, international wildlife crime, illegal logging, and the illegal disposal of toxic waste.

During the event, the Union Minister held a meeting with the Minister of Justice of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mr. Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, where they discussed India's technology-based justice system and global legal cooperation. The growing collaboration in the fields of international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution under the India-UAE legal partnership was underlined. Professional training, research, and digital dispute resolution mechanisms are being strengthened through a partnership between the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC). Notably, DIAC handles approximately 5,000 cases with a combined value of around AED 80 billion (approximately USD 21.8 billion).

During his visit, Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal also met with Ms. Monica Zuma, the Executive Director of UNODC. This meeting focused on cooperation against organized crime and narcotics, as well as legal-judicial partnerships. These efforts further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the UAE across the sectors of trade, investment, defense, and technology, alongside law and good governance.