16th Government Law College International Law Summit, 2026 sponsored by Rungta Steel (Prizes worth INR 2 Lacs!)

Registrations open for International Judgment Deliberation Competition 2026 and International Treaty Appreciation Competition 2026

The Students for the Promotion of International Law (SPIL), Mumbai is pleased to announce the 16^th Government Law College International Law Summit, 2026 sponsored by Rungta Steel is set to take place on the 6th & 7th March 2025. Conceived as a forum of learning, dialogue and simulation, the Summit brings together students, scholars, and practitioners from around the world to engage with the most pressing issues in international law. Registrations for the International Judgment Deliberation Competition 2026 and International Treaty Appreciation Competition 2026!

About SPIL Mumbai

Students for the Promotion of International Law (SPIL), Mumbai is a student-run academic body at Government Law College (GLC), Mumbai, devoted to promoting awareness, research, and scholarship in the field of international law. Over the past fifteen editions of the Summit, SPIL has established itself as a pioneering student initiative, hosting conferences, lecture series, and competitions that attract participation from across India and abroad.

About GLC Mumbai

Established in 1855, Government Law College (GLC), Mumbai stands as Asia’s oldest law school and a cornerstone of legal education in India. Over its illustrious history of more than a century and a half, GLC has produced an unparalleled legacy of jurists, judges, and statesmen — including several Chief Justices, Attorneys-General, and political leaders. Situated in the heart of South Mumbai’s legal district, the College continues to uphold its tradition of academic excellence, intellectual rigor, and public service.

About the Theme

The international trading system stands at an inflection point. The foundational discipline governing this architecture, International Trade Law, no longer exists merely as a system of dispute settlement but has evolved into a field that mediates between economics, ethics and interdependence. Against this backdrop, SPIL Mumbai’s 16th Government Law College International Law Summit 2026 adopts International Trade Law as its central theme, reflecting our commitment to engage with the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the world economy. We seek to explore the multidimensional evolution of International Trade Law through two complementary lenses — dispute resolution and treaty interpretation.

Under this theme, the Summit announces the commencement of registrations the following competitions –

1) The International Judgment Deliberation Competition (JDC), 2026

About – Simulating the appellate deliberations under the WTO’s Multi Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), the JDC 2026 invites participants to interpret, reason, and decide upon disputes arising from trade measures and environmental regulations. The 2026 case presents a dispute between two WTO Members regarding carbon-adjusted border measures impacting exports, raising critical questions on the balance between sustainability and trade obligations.

Format –

• Written Award Qualifier – Registered teams shall submit a written award by 30th November 2025, 11:59 PM IST.
•  Oral Deliberations – Top 12 Qualifying teams shall be invited to the offline Deliberation Rounds at the Government Law College, Mumbai, scheduled to happen on the 6th and 7th of March 2026.

Team Composition – There shall be 2 Participants per team, comprising of a participant Judge and a Judicial Clerk. A maximum of two (2) teams are allowed from each college.

Registrations –

Early Bird Registrations (on or before 15^th Nov 2025, 11:59 PM IST): INR 4,999/- or USD 60/-

Regular Registrations (on or before 30^th Nov 2025, 11:59 PM IST): INR 6,999/- or USD 80/-

For more details regarding the competition, the Problem, registrations and the schedule, please visit JDC 2026.

2) The International Treaty Appreciation Competition (TAC), 2026

About – The TAC simulates a formal multilateral forum where participants teams act as State delegations tasked with assessing and shaping the future of a major treaty. Designed to develop skills essential to treaty practice, TAC goes beyond the competitive element and provides a forum for scholarly exchange. The TAC 2026 focuses on the CISG and presents questions that drafters could not have foreseen, through an extraordinary UNCITRAL session, participants representing contracting states must defend, critique or propose reform.

Format –

•  Written Critique Qualifier – Registered teams shall submit a written critique by 30th November 2025, 11:59 PM IST.
•  Oral Deliberation – Top 12 Qualifying teams shall be invited to the offline Deliberation Rounds at the Government Law College, Mumbai, scheduled to happen on the 7th of March 2026.

Team Composition – There shall be 2 Participants per team. A maximum of two (2) teams are allowed from each college.

Registrations –

Early Bird Registrations (on or before 15^th Nov 2025, 11:59 PM IST): INR 4,999/- or USD 60/-

Regular Registrations (on or before 30^th Nov 2025, 11:59 PM IST): INR 6,999/- or USD 80/-

For more details regarding the competition, registrations and the schedule, please visit TAC 2026.

Rules on Eligibility and Registration for both the Competitions

1. Indian Nationals: Individuals currently enrolled in any recognised institution / university / college, recognised by the Bar Council of India, on a full-time or part-time basis, pursuing either the 3-year LL.B. or the 5-year integrated B.A. / B.L.S. / B.B.A. / B.Com / B.Sc./ B.Tech. LL.B. programme at the time of the Competition, are eligible to participate in the Competition.
2. Foreign Nationals: Individuals currently enrolled in their first law degree or an undergraduate law degree, in any recognised institution / university / college outside India are eligible to participate in the Competition. The Participants shall strictly not be enrolled in a Masters level or a post-graduate level law programme.
3. Team and Team Composition: Participants shall register for the Competition as a team. A team shall consist of 2 (two) members for both the Competitions. Both the Team members shall be from the same institution.
4. Students enrolled in any year of their undergraduate law degree programme are eligible to participate, provided they have not completed their final semester examinations before the commencement of the Competition.
5. Participants must not be engaged in full-time legal practice, employment, or bar enrolment at the time of the Competition. Individual holding any form of professional legal licence or currently employed in a legal capacity shall be ineligible. Even recent graduates, who have passed their undergraduate degree and currently awaiting enrolment are not eligible to participate.
6. Cross-Institutional Teams: Teams must comprise students enrolled in the same institution. Cross-institutional teams shall not be permitted.
7. Institutional Limit: Each institution may register a maximum of 2 (two) Teams. However, SPIL Mumbai reserves the right to permit additional teams from the same institution if slots remain unfilled after the initial registration deadline.
8. Institutional Verification/ ID Requirement: All registered participants must submit a valid student identity card or a proof of tuition fee payment or a bona fide certificate from their institution verifying current enrolment at the time of registration confirmation. Teams must submit the name of the dean or the head of their institution or the faculty-in-charge or the head of their institution’s moot court society or the head of the student body. SPIL Mumbai shall reach out to such persons as well, for the confirmation of registration.
9. Team Institutional Nomination or Official Endorsement: In furtherance of the above Clause, each participating Team must be officially nominated or endorsed by the dean, head of department, faculty-in-charge, or the head of the moot court society or the head of the student body of their respective institution. SPIL Mumbai reserves the right to seek documentary proof of such nomination or endorsement and may verify the same directly with the concerned authority. Teams registering without institutional nomination will be considered provisional until the official endorsement is confirmed.

Awards and Recognition

The Summit carries total prizes worth INR 2 lacs! Winners will also be featured on the official SPIL Mumbai platforms and recognised at the Valedictory Ceremony attended by leading academics, practitioners, and diplomats!

Together these events explore the intricate relationship between law, policy and provide a holistic exploration of trade law. We encourage you to participate in this year’s Summit and contribute to the discussions that will shape perspectives and test ideas in rigorous debate and to contribute to the summit’s continuing legacy of scholarly excellence and collegial exchange.