SIAC's record year underscores global reach and India's strategic importance

SIAC registered (5MB//21-page PDF) 886 new cases in 2025, the vast majority of which were international in nature. This is the second highest caseload in SIAC’s history and an increase from 625 cases in 2024.

The total amount in dispute climbed to US$14.53 billion, the highest in SIAC’s history and well above the US$11.86bn recorded in 2024. The institution said the figures reflect substantial growth in both administered and ad hoc filings, alongside rising demand for arbitration services in cross-border disputes.

SIAC served an increasingly global user base in 2025, with cases involving parties from a record 79 jurisdictions, compared to 72 last year. 

India again ranked as SIAC’s third largest foreign user, a position it has held in both 2024 and 2025, alongside Mainland China. 

Mohan Pillay, a full-time arbitrator and expert in international arbitration at Pinsent Masons MPillay, said: “It is evident that SIAC continues to retain its appeal as a highly valued disputes hub for Indian parties.”

“This reflects SIAC’s deep and broad institutional footprint in India, with a 2025 calendar that included India ADR week, the Delhi arbitration weekend, SIAC India Academy training, and multiple conferences featuring judges and leaders from major Indian institutions,” he said.

“Indian law was the third most frequently applied governing law in SIAC cases last year, behind Singapore and English law, Indian arbitrators were the third most appointed, and the SIAC Court has four members from India. These statistics underscore India’s strategic role within the institution.”

Wee Jian Ang, an international arbitration expert at Pinsent Masons MPillay, said “the first year of SIAC Rules 2025 gave early insights into the popularity of its newly introduced procedures and mechanisms and how they work in practice”.

“SIAC received four applications for the new protective preliminary order (PPO) mechanism, with one granted and the remaining three heard before an emergency arbitrator following party notification,” he said.

“The streamlined procedure saw significant uptake with 60 cases. The preliminary determination process was invoked four times, with tribunals allowing three to proceed and eventually granting two.”

Complex multi-contract disputes also continued to drive consolidation requests. SIAC oversaw 107 consolidation applications in 2025, its highest ever, with 66 being granted, up from 64 out of 101 in 2024. SIAC said the trend reflects user demand for cost efficient case management amid increasingly interconnected commercial arrangements.