In a significant step toward strengthening regional judicial cooperation, the Supreme Court of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Apex Court of Bhutan for the exchange of young legal professionals. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant announced the development on Monday during court proceedings, highlighting the importance of institutional collaboration between the two nations.

Under the MoU, two law clerks from Bhutan will be engaged by the Supreme Court of India for a period of three months. The clerks will receive the same honorarium as Indian law clerks, while their travel expenses will be fully borne by the Supreme Court. During their tenure, they will be assigned to work across different courts to gain diverse judicial exposure.

Introducing the Bhutanese law clerks to the courtroom, the CJI described them as “young and bright” professionals. He noted that the exchange programme would provide them with valuable insight into India’s judicial processes while also fostering mutual learning and professional development between the two judiciaries.

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The initiative, the CJI said, is aimed at enhancing judicial cooperation and reinforcing long-standing institutional ties between India and Bhutan. Such exchanges are expected to promote comparative legal understanding and encourage the sharing of best practices in judicial administration and legal reasoning.

The Supreme Court of India regularly facilitates international legal exchanges through formal MoUs with apex courts of other countries. Similar agreements have been signed with nations such as Nepal, focusing on judicial cooperation, information sharing, technological advancement, and interaction among judges and court officials.

Beyond these initiatives, India also participates in global judicial exchange programmes through institutions like the CEELI Institute, which offers training on transnational crimes and counter-terrorism. Additionally, leading Indian law universities maintain independent student and faculty exchange programmes with foreign institutions, further strengthening India’s engagement with the global legal community.

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