Prof Bimal N Patel Elected as India's Judge at ITLOS for 2026 to 2035 Term - Secures 115 of 168 Votes at UNCLOS 36th Conference in New York | Current Affairs

India has secured continued representation at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea with the election of noted jurist Bimal N. Patel as a judge of the Hamburg-based tribunal for the 2026-2035 term. Patel was elected during the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from June 15 to June 19. Patel secured 115 votes out of 168 valid votes cast by member states.

Patel is a prominent Indian legal scholar in the field of maritime law, currently serving as Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat and as a member of the International Law Commission. He is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board. He will assume office on October 1, 2026, succeeding India's current representative, Neeru Chadha, whose nine-year term concludes in September. EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar congratulated Patel and thanked UNCLOS member states for their support. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called it a "significant milestone.

Why in News: ITLOS, UNCLOS, and India's judicial appointments to international bodies are regularly asked in UPSC, SSC CGL, Banking, and Railway exams. Key facts include Patel's name, institution (Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat), vote count (115/168), term (2026-2035), ITLOS location (Hamburg), predecessor (Neeru Chadha), and the UNCLOS conference (36th, New York).

Key Points to Remember:

Bimal N. Patel elected ITLOS Judge: June 19, 2026 (New York)
Term: 2026 to 2035; takes office October 1, 2026
Votes secured: 115 out of 168 valid votes
Election held at: 36th Meeting of UNCLOS States Parties, UN HQ New York (June 15-19, 2026)
His current role: Vice Chancellor, Rashtriya Raksha University, Gujarat
Also: Member, UN International Law Commission; Member, National Security Advisory Board
Succeeds: Neeru Chadha (India's current ITLOS judge and Vice President; term ends September 2026)
Total ITLOS judges: 21; elected by secret ballot
7 new judges elected for 2026-2035 term (from Vietnam, Ghana, Tunisia, Russia, Netherlands, India, Brazil)
EAM Jaishankar congratulated Patel; MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called it a "significant milestone"
ITLOS HQ: Hamburg, Germany
UNCLOS has 172 member states; came into force 1994

Related Static GK:

ITLOS full form: International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
ITLOS established: 1982 (by UNCLOS); HQ: Hamburg, Germany
ITLOS comprises: 21 independent members; 5 regional groups (Africa 5, Asia 5, Latin America 4, Western Europe 4, Eastern Europe 3)
UNCLOS full form: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; signed 1982; came into force November 16, 1994
UNCLOS governs: Maritime zones, navigation, marine resources, marine environment, scientific research
Rashtriya Raksha University: Gujarat; India's first national security university; established 2020 under central legislation
Neeru Chadha: First Indian woman to serve as ITLOS judge (since 2017); also first woman Vice President of ITLOS
India's Permanent Representative to UN (2026): Ambassador P. Harish
UN International Law Commission: Body of experts elected by UN General Assembly to codify and develop international law