India steadfast in ensuring rule of law as member of Int'l community: Govt

India has remained steadfast in ensuring the rule of law and has had a long history of utilising arbitration and other such methods for amicable settlement of international disputes, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday.

Speaking at the third Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)-India Conference, Shringla said since its establishment, the PCA has handled many politically significant and interesting cases.

It has become a premier institution and the first choice for resolution of international disputes involving states, state entities, inter-governmental organisations as well as private entities, he said.

"As a member of the international community, India has remained steadfast in ensuring the rule of law, and has had a long history of utilising arbitration and other such methods for amicable settlement of international disputes," Shringla said.

He said institutions such as the Permanent Court of Arbitration have assisted us in this respect, and have played a pivotal role in ensuring that peace among nations is maintained, through a civilised and principled settlement of disputes.

As a strong proponent of a peaceful and rules-based international legal order, it is no surprise that India supports the PCA and its mandate to resolve international disputes, Shringla said.

The upholding of international law is central to our diplomacy and in fact our world view, he said.