By Ritu,
The government is planning a new law to safeguard foreign investment by speeding up dispute resolution, aiming to attract more capital from overseas to boost stuttering domestic growth, two officials with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
In a 40-page initial draft, finance ministry has proposed appointing a mediator and setting up fast-track courts to settle disputes between investors and the government, one of the sources said.
“The idea is to attract and promote foreign investment, but a major issue for investors is enforcement of contracts and speedy dispute resolution,”
The draft proposal is aimed at diffusing investor mistrust around the sanctity of agreements, which has worsened recently after some state governments decided to review approved projects, or threatened to cancel contracts.
Foreign investors have highlighted the enforcement of contracts as one of their biggest concerns, said the official, adding that improving on this front would also reduce litigation for the government.
While investors can still rely on the existing legal system to settle disputes, it often takes several years for cases to be decided or settled.
Investors previously had an option to take India to international arbitration courts under bilateral investment treaties the government had agreed with dozens of nations. But, after suffering setbacks in overseas arbitration matters, India has allowed most of its treaties to lapse, giving investors little to fall back on in case of major disputes.
