Indian jurist Prof. Bimal N. Patel has been elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026–2035 term.
ITLOS is an independent judicial body set up under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to settle disputes on the use of oceans and their resources. Prof. Patel's election gives India a voice on the tribunal for a nine-year term covering 2026 to 2035.