An eminent Indian jurist, Bimal Patel, has been elected as Judge of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

Mr. Patel is a Member of the UN International Law Commission, Chairman, Working Group Succession of States in respect of State Responsibility and Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Public International Law at Rashtriya Raksha University.

He is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board, National Security Council Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office “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. His election takes forward India's enduring commitment to multilateralism and the Law of the Sea,” the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said on Thursday (June 18, 2026).

The Mission thanked all member states for their support and applauded all candidates for their vision and commitment to UNCLOS.

Mr. Patel is an esteemed educationalist, jurist and administrator, and during his professional career of over three decades, he has served in various roles such as the Director at the Gujarat National Law University and Member of the 21st Law Commission of India.

He has worked for 15 years at global organisations such as the United Nations of Youth and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) at the Hague, Netherlands, according to his profile on the Rashtriya Raksha University website.

What is International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea?

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) is an independent judicial body established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It has jurisdiction over any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention.

Disputes relating to the Convention may concern the delimitation of maritime zones, navigation, conservation and management of the living resources of the sea, protection and preservation of the marine environment and marine scientific research, according to its website.

The Tribunal is composed of 21 independent members elected by secret ballot by the States Parties to the Convention. Its current Vice President is legal luminary Neeru Chadha of India.