India

Abstract

This chapter examines international law in India, offering an overview of India’s engagement with international law in the colonial and postcolonial periods. Whether it is the fact of the East India Company becoming an empire, or British India becoming an original member of both the League of Nations and the United Nations, India’s relationship with international law has been somewhat unusual. The review in this chapter encompasses the following sub-themes: the development of international law in the colonial era, 1600–1947; the place of international law in the Constitution of India 1949; the approach of Indian courts to international law, 1950–2017; and India’s multilevel engagement and contribution to international law, 1947–2017.