The BRICS Chief Justices' Forum is a cooperative institutional concept, not a binding act or provision, that serves as a platform for dialogue among the judiciaries of the BRICS member states and partner countries. The BRICS framework itself is an alliance of independent states focused on economic and technological cooperation, aiming for a multipolar world order. The Forum's origin is rooted in the broader BRICS Law and Governance sector, which seeks to strengthen legal cooperation.
The mechanism brings together Chief Justices, Presidents of Supreme Courts, and senior judicial leaders to exchange views on contemporary legal and institutional issues. For example, the Supreme Court of India hosted the Forum in New Delhi from September 4 to 6, 2026. The substantive sessions focus on key areas such as Mediation and International Commercial Disputes, Cross-Border Enforcement of Arbitral Awards, Artificial Intelligence and the Judiciary, and Judicial Leadership and Sustainable Development. During the 2026 Forum, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant proposed building a common platform for arbitration and mediation to tackle international commercial disputes.
The concept connects to the recent expansion of the BRICS group, as the 2026 Forum included judicial leaders from new member states like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, alongside the original members. The Forum's focus on issues like AI and cross-border commercial disputes reflects a recent shift to address the legal challenges of a globalised economy.