TOPIC

ENFORCEMENT OF
FOREIGN
ARBITRAL AWARDS

TITLE PAGE NO.

INTRODUCTION
MEANING OF ARBITRATION UNDER THE ACT
FOREIGN ARBITRATION
INDIAN RESERVATIONS
FOREIGN AWARD – COMMERCIAL IN NATURE
PROCEDURE OF ENFORCEMENT UNDER THE
CONCVENTION
CHALLEGE TO FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS
ENFORECEMENT OF AWARDS TO WHICH
CONVENTIONS DO NOT APPLY
AWARDS UNDER INDIAN PROCEDURAL LAWS
AWARDS MADE OUTSIDE INDIA UNDER
FOREIGN PROCEDURAL LAWS
AWARDS MADE OUTSIDE INDIA UNDER INDIAN
PRECEDURAL LAWS
NEW YORK CONVENTION – AWARDS
GENEVA CONVENTION – AWARDS
ENGLISH ARBITRATION ACT – 1950
FOREIGN AWARDS
TIME LIMIT

POST ENFORCEMENT FORMALITIES

CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION

The law on arbitration in India is at present contained in three

enactments viz.

The Arbitration Act 1940

The Arbitration (Protocol and Convention) Act ,1937

The Foreign Awards (Recognition and Enforcement) Act,1961

It was widely felt that the 1940 act, which contained the general laws

of arbitration, had become outdated.

The law commission of India, several representative of bodies of

trade and commerce and expert of the field of arbitration had experts

of the field of arbitration had proposed amendments to this act to

make it more responsive to the contemporary requirements. It was

also recognized that our economic reforms may not become fully

effective if the law dealing with settlement of both domestic and

 international commercial disputes remain out of tune with such

reforms.

Taking into the consideration the enforcement of foreign award, it can

be enforced in India under the multilateral international conventions

to which India is a party viz.

Geneva Convention of 1927

New York Convention of 1958

Further, the award must have been made in the country that has ratified

them. The Geneva convention had has ceased to apply those awards to

which the New York convention applies now.

The arbitration (protocol and convention) act, 1937 came into effect on

4th march 1937 and provided for the enforcement of foreign arbitral

award to which the Geneva Convention of 1927 applied.

Similarly, the foreign awards (Recognition and Enforcement) act, which

came into force on 30th November, 1961, had been enacted pursuant to

the New York convention of 1958 and it prescribed the law and
procedure for the enforcement of foreign awards in India to which they

said convention applied.

The United Nations commission on international trade law

[UNCITRAL] adopted in 1985 the model law on International

Commercial Arbitration. The General Assembly of the United Nations

has recommended that all countries give due consideration to the said

model law ,in view of the desirability of uniformity of law of arbitral

procedures and the specific needs of international commercial arbitration

practice.

An important feature of the said UNCITRAL model law and rules is that

they have harmonized concepts of arbitration and conciliation of

different legal systems of the world and thus contained provisions

universal application.

Though the said UNCITRAL model law and rules are intended to deal

with international commercial arbitration and conciliation, they could

with appropriate modifications, serve as a model for legislation on

domestic arbitration and conciliation.

The two previous enactments on such stands repealed and the arbitration

and conciliation act 1961,which is a comprehensive and uniform law

relating to arbitration which has been put on statute with a view to

provide an alternative forum which is less formal than the court

proceedings more effective ,speedy ,quicker and cheaper.

The procedure for enforcement of foreign awards can now be found in

Part [2] of the new 1996 act which maintains the same scheme for

enforcement albeit in a consolidation form.

MEAN ING OF ARBITRATION UNDER THE ACT

Arbitration means a reference to the decision of one or more persons,

either with or without an umpire of some matter or matters between the

parties as held in

COLLINS vs. COLLINS

The essence of arbitration is that the arbitrator decides the case and his

award is in nature of a judgment which is later on incorporated into a

decree of court as held in the case AKBARI AHMED vs. RAHAMAT

FOREIGN ARBITRATION

Foreign arbitration is an award or arbitration conducted in a place

outside India

The resultant award is an award, if sought to be enforced in India,

constitutes a foreign award,

Section 2(7) of the 1996 act states that an arbitral award made under

\Part [1] of the act shall be considered as a domestic award. Section 2(2)

mandates that Part [1] shall apply where place of arbitration is in India.

It follows a logical thing that where the place of arbitration is not in

India, Part [1] shall not apply to such arbitration. Thus an award

resulting from such arbitration shall not be considered a domestic award.

However in the case

BHATIA INTERNATIONAL vs. BULK TRADING S.A.

The Supreme Court held that the provisions of Part [1] would apply even

in cases of international arbitration held outside India. The decision has

been criticized for blatantly ignoring the unequivocal wordings of the

statute but nevertheless constitutes the prevailing law on the point.

INDIAN RESERVATIONS

India has made two reservations while ratifying the conventions namely,

that it would apply the conventions to the recognition and enforcement

of an award only if it was made in the territory of another state that is

bound by contract.

In pursuance of said reservations, the two implementing acts of 1937

and 1961 provided that the government of India would notify the names

of the countries to which the conventions would apply and also the

countries to which have made reciprocal provision for the enforcement

of Indian awards in those countries.

The second reservation was that the India would apply the convention

only to differences arising out of legal relationship which are considered

as commercial under the Indian laws. The concept of commercial

relationship takes place within its ambit all relationship which arises out

of or are ancillary or incidental to the business dealings between citizens

of two states. It takes within its fold all legal relationships pertaining to

international trade in all its form between the different states. Courts

have interpreted the term ‘commercial dispute’ under the two acts, in

certain decisions where the question was at issue.

It has been held that the provisions of the conventions and implementing

1937 and 1961 acts earlier and the 1996 act now are designed to sub

serve the cause of facilitating international trade and promotion

interpretation consistent with its literal and grammatical meaning. The

law as settled by the courts in the following cases is relevant even today

for the new 1996 enactments maintain the same scheme.

In R.M INVESTMENT AND TRADING CO. LTD.

Vs.

BOEING &CO.

It was held that consultancy services for the promotions of the sales of

aircraft manufactured by a foreign company are ‘commercial services’

In RAMJI DAYAWALA & SONS (P) LTD.

VS

INVEST IMPORT,

It was held that a party from a country which has not ratified the New

York convention of 1958 can’t maintain its application seeking any

benefit from the court under any enactment, made on the basis of the

conventions.

In N.T.P.C vs. SINGER & CO.

It was held that an award will not be tenable if it is opposed to the

public policy of the county in which it is to be enforced. Mere

contravention of the public policy may not attract the bar. It may not be

repugnant to the fundamental policy of Indian law or to justice or

morality.

FOREIGN AWARD - COMMERCIAL IN NATURE

CLAUSE (f) of sub section [1] of section 2 of the 1996 act defines

international commercial arbitration and it speaks about disputes arising

out of a legal relationship, whether contracted or not, considered as

commercial under the law in force in India. The question of commercial

relationship has been considered by various courts in a number of cases.

Emphasizing the ambit of an activity which takes the character of a

commercial relationship in the context of Article 301of the constitution

of India

The supreme court noted in the case

ATIABARI TEA CO. LTD. vs. STATE OF ASSAM

the trade doesn’t mean merely traffic in goods i.e. exchange of

commodities for money or other commodities in the complexities of

modern conditions in their sweep are included carriage of persons and

goods by road, rail, air and waterways, contracts, banking, insurance, etc

too numerous to be exhaustively enumerated which may be called

commercial intercourse.

On the above logic, the Supreme Court ruled that a consultancy services

for the promotion of sale is a commercial transaction and any dispute

arising there under is a commercial dispute. Therefore, as far as the

meaning of commercial is concerned, the absence of a formal definition

didn’t hinder an expansive interpretation.

PROCEDURE OF ENFORCEMENT UNDER CONVENTIONS

• The procedure of enforcement of foreign awards under the

conventions are pretty much the same .Any person interested in

enforcing a foreign award may apply in a writing to any court

having jurisdiction over the subject matter of the award. In

addition to filing of the award and agreement on which it is based

as required by the conventions, the act requires that evidence as to

the award being a foreign award has to be filed.

• The competent court in which the award is to be filed is a court

which will have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the award.

The application will be numbered and registered in the court as a

suit between the applicant as plaintiff and the other parties are

defendants. T he court will direct notice to be given to the parties,

requiring them to show cause as to why the award should not be

 filed. The court on being satisfied that the foreign award being

enforceable under the act will pronounce judgments according to

the award. Upon the judgment so pronounced, a decree will follow

as in case of domestic awards. No appeal shall lie from such a

decree except in so far as the decree is in excess of or not in

accordance with h the award.

The various high courts, including the Bombay and Calcutta, have

made rules regarding the procedure and forms to be used for

application for the enforcement of foreign awards.

CHALLENGE TO FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARD

The challenge under section 9 (b) of the Foreign Awards (Recognition

and Enforcement) Act, 1961 its not available when the arbitration clause

renders all dispute subject to laws of India though the arbitration

proceedings were held in England as per terms of said clause in as much

the crucial law operates during the continuance of the proceedings

before the arbitrator as held in the case SWANITOMO HEAVY

INDUSTRIES LTD. VS. O.N.G.C LTD.

ENFORCEMENT OF AWARD TO WHICH THE CONVENTINS

DONOT APPLY

The awards which are made in the countries that are not a party to

either of the conventions cannot be enforced with the same facility

as in the case of the foreign awards to which the conventions

apply.

Such foreign awards are however enforceable in India on the same

ground as they are applicable in United Kingdom. That is to say

that they can be enforced by an action before a court of law as held

in BADAT & CO. BOMBAY vs. EAST INDIA TRADING CO.

which said that such an award will be enforceable in India under

the common law on the grounds of justice, equity and good

conscience? The principles stated are as follows:-

 that there was a contract between the parties where under

disputes between them were referred to arbitration to an

arbitral tribunal in a foreign country.

that award is in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

that the award is not invalid according to the law governing

arbitration proceedings obtaining in the country where award

was made.

That it was a subsisting award at the time of filing of the suit.

A foreign award will not be enforced by the courts in India if its

enforcement would be contrary to public policy or the laws in

India.

A foreign award will be deemed to be against the laws of India if it

violates, for instance, provisions relating to exchange, control,

import-export control or similar mandatory provisions.

AWARDS UNDER INDIAN PROCEDURAL AWARD

 It has been held that the term award used in the Indian Arbitrationact,

1996, mean an award under the act while section 49 of the act

provides that a foreign award shall become a decree of the court

where the court is satisfied that the foreign award is enforceable, there

is there is no provision for the issue of a notice to the affected party

before the court expresses such satisfaction.

Section 50 0f the 1996 act provides for an appeal from an order

refusing to:-

refer the parties to the arbitration under section 45 and

enforce a foreign award under section 48.

Such appeal should lie in the court authorized to hear appeal from the

order arising thereto. There shall be no second appeal, subject however

to the right of appeal to the supreme court. There is no right of appeal

against the recording of satisfaction by the court under section 49.

 AWARD MADE IN INDIA UNDER FOREIGN PROCEDURAL

LAWS

An award made in India under the foreign procedural law is one to

which neither the arbitration act nor the conventions will apply. Its

enforceability in India depends on the general laws.

AWARD MADE OUTSIDE INDIA UNDER FOREIGN

PROCEDURAL LAWS

An award made outside India under the foreign law is a foreign award. It

has to be enforced as per the provisions of the 1996 act now. In other

cases the award made is made in non-reciprocating country, its

enforceability in India depends on the general laws.

AWARDS MADE MOUTSIDE INDIA UNDER INDIAN

PROCEDURAL LAWS

If the award is the one to which the conventions applies, it has to be

enforced as a foreign award but as per the judgment of the supreme court
 in N.T.P.C VS. THE SINGER & CO. and held that such an award but

will be a foreign award as a domestic award under the Part [1] of the act.

This decision has been criticised as it is given under the old act 1961.

Since the new act is enforced yet the decision still is good as it has not

been over-ruled.

NEW YORK CONVENTION AWARDS

Section 44 actually reproduces Section 2 of the Foreign Awards

[Recognition and Enforcement] Act, 1961.

The scope of this section is actually utilized by any party that is

interested in foreign awards to the court having jurisdiction over the

subject matter.

The differentiation between the awards must apply in writing to a court

and the foreign awards are only those where arbitration takes place in a

convention country.

Awards passed in an arbitration taking place in a non-convention country

would not be a domestic award as held in this case

BHATIA INTERNATIONAL

V/s

BULK TRADING S.A.

There has to be an agreement in writing between the parties for invoking

Section 45. However, if any of the parties feel that such an argument is

null or void or in-operative or incapable of being performed that party

has the right to approach the competent court as held in the case.

SHIVNATH RAI HAR NARAIN

V/s

ITALGRANI S.P.A

According to Section 45, Judicial Authority has power to refer parties to

arbitration. The application must be made in writing and at any time

before the judgment of the court is pronounced in the suit. Such

application should be made before the court where the suit is pending.
If there is valid arbitration agreement, the suit must be stayed and the

matter referred to arbitration as held in the case.

SOCIETE COMMERCIAL CEREALS etc.

V/s

S.P.C

If there is expressly excluded clause of arbitration the application for

reference is not maintainable as held in the case.

STC

V/s

OWNERS ETC IN THE VESSEL Vs.BALPIC CONFIDENCE

According to the Section 46, foreign award shall be binding for all

purposes on for all purposes, on the persons as between whom it was

made and may accordingly be relied on any of those persons by way of

defense, set off or otherwise ant legal proceedings in India.

Under Section 47, the manner for adducing evidence to prove that the

award is a foreign award.

When the award given in a foreign country (UKRAINS) is valid under

the law of the country the award being governed by the law of that

country then the enforcement of that award of India does not violate

public policy as held in the case.

TRANS OCEAN SHIPPING AGENCY PVT. LTD.

V/s

BLACK SEA SHIPPING

Section 48 provides that the enforcement of foreign award may be

refused at the request of other party against whom it is invoked, only if

that party furnishes Court some proof.

Also for the enforcement of the foreign award there is no need to take

separate proceedings one for deciding the enforceability of award to

make rule on the court or decree and other to take up execution after

that as held in the case

FUREST DAY LAWSON Ltd V/S JINDAL EXPORTS Ltd.1

Under section 49, the court cannot directly enforce foreign award

acting under section 49 of the 1996 Act. Once the court under section 49

declares it as enforceable there upon it would be deemed to be a decree

executable as per Civil Procedure Code as held in the case.

TOEPFER INTERNATIONAL ASIA (P) Ltd. V/S THAPAR IPAT

Ltd.2

Court enforcing a foreign award cannot grant interest beyond the date of

abiter dictum. Under section 50, the court is authorized by law to hear

appeal from the following orders:-

If an order refers to –

 Refer the party to arbitration

 Enforce a foreign award

1
AIR 2001 SC 2293
2
AIR 1999 BOM 417
If under this section any order is passed in appeal, second appeal cannot

be filed against such order. But appeal to the Supreme Court can be

filed.

GENEVA CONVENTION AWARDS

This convention has been reproduced more or less same as the New York

convention and has name sake relevance because of the fact that this

cannot be applied to the foreign awards under the New York Convention.

ENGLISH ARBITRATION ACT 1950 – FOREIGN AWARDS

Under this provision is made for the enforcement of arbitral awards by

the Arbitration Act 1950, which actually considerate the Arbitration Act

1889-1934.

The background of this provision is afforded by a protocol of 1923 and a

convention of 1927, both of which were signed by Great Britain. The

convention deals with the enforcement in one country of arbitral award

that is made in other country.

The protocol applies between people subject to jurisdiction of such

powers as may be declared by orders in council to the parties of

convention on the execution of Foreign Arbitral awards set out in the

second schedule to the Arbitration Act, 1950.

In England, foreign award means one which

made in pursuance of agreement under the protocol of 1923

made between the person subject to the jurisdiction of jurisdiction

of signatory states of 1927 convention

made in the territory to which the convention has been extended by

order in council.

Where the parties choose to refer a dispute to arbitration and if no case is

pending with respect to the subject-matter in disputes, it is not necessary

that the parties should signify their consent to the award before the same

is enforced, as held in the case

NARAIN DAS VS. VALLABH DAS

 There are some conditions to be fulfilled before, for the

enforceability of foreign awards. It must have been

made in pursuance of an agreement for arbitration valid by the law

by which it was governed

made by the tribunal provided by the agreement

made in conformity with the law governing the arbitration

procedure

become final in the country it was made in respect of a matter

which may be lawfully be referred to arbitration under the English

law and its enforcement may not be against the public policy or

the to the law of England.

The second schedule of the Arbitration (protocol and convention) act,

1937 lays down the convention on the execution of the foreign

arbitral award.

In England, the award can’t be final if:-

 the proceedings for the testing of its validity are pending in the

country in which it was made.

It can’t be enforced if it doesn’t deal with all the questions referred to the

arbitration or exceeds the scope of arbitration agreement or if the party

against whom it was sought wasn’t given sufficient notice of the

arbitration proceedings or was under the legal incapacity or was not

properly represented.

More or less, it is not final when the rules of natural justice were not

adhered to. Proper chance of defending one’s case should be given to a

party.

TIME LIMIT

The act doesn’t prescribe any time limit within which a foreign award

must be applied to be enforced. However, various high courts have held

that the period of limitations would be governed by the residual

provisions under the limitation act i.e. the period would be three years

from the date when the right to apply for the enforcement accrues. The
Bombay high court have held that the right to apply would accrue when

the right i.e. the award is actually received by the applicant as in the case

ORIENT MIDDLE EAST LINES LTD. &ANOTHERS

VS.

M/S BRACE TRANSPORT CORPORATION OF MONROVIA

POST ENFORCEMENT FORMALITIES

In the case FUREST DAY LAWSON LTD

Vs.

JINDAL EXPORT LTD

it was held by the Supreme Court that once the court determines that a

foreign award is enforceable, it can straight away be executed as decree.

In other awards, no other application is required to convert the judgment

into a decree. The court clearly stated in its judgment that “Once the

court decides that the foreign award is enforceable; it can proceed to

take further effective steps for execution of the same. There arises no

question of making a foreign award as a rule of court/decree again. If the

object and purpose can be served in the same proceedings, it doesn’t

result in the multiplication of proceedings. It is also clear from the

objectives contained in the Para 4 of the statements of objects and

reason, section 47 to 49 and the scheme of act that every final arbitral

awards is to be enforced as if it were a decree of the court. In our

opinion, enforcement of the award, there is no need to take separate

proceedings, one for deciding the enforceability of award to make rule

of the court or decree and other to take up execution thereafter. In one

proceeding, the court can enforce a foreign award and deal with the

matter.” One of the interesting features of the enforcement of a foreign

award is that there is no statutory appeal provided against any decision

of the court, rejecting objections to the award. An appeal shall lie only if

the courts hold the award to be non-enforceable. Hence a decision

upholding an award can’t be appealed against. This is Enforcement of a

foreign award is that there is no statutory appeal provided against any

decision of the court rejecting objections to the above. And appeal shall
lie only if the courts hold the award to be non-enforceable. Hence a

decision upholding an award cannot be appealed against this is in some

sense is a negative aspect and can be considered as a loophole.

However, a discretionary appeal would lie to the supreme court of India

under the Article 136 of The Constitution of India. Such appeals are

entertained only if the court feels that there is a question of fundamental

importance or public interest.

CONCLUSION

Viewed in its totality India does not come across as a jurisdiction which

carries an Anti-arbitration bias or more significantly which carries an

Anti-foreign bias. The number of arbitration in the tribunal,

notwithstanding the interventionist instincts and expanded judicial

review, Indian Courts do not cross the limits and refrain themselves from

interfering with the arbitral awards. Judged on its touchstone India

qualifies as an arbitration friendly jurisdiction.