Vodafone case shows why India's not renewing 70-odd BITs with foreign govts

India does not recognise the jurisdiction of any foreign court in a commercial dispute that questions the state's sovereign power to intervene

In the corporate battle for Mumbai airport, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), and Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP) served a legal notice to the GVK group in August. Their contention was that the 74 per cent stake sale in the airport to the Adani group would qualify as a breach of an agreement these investors had signed with GVK, the airport operator, last year.

Should there be a legal battle, which party has a stronger legal case is arguable. But there should be no dispute about the jurisdiction of the