India and the World Court

Abstract

ON I4 September I959 India filed with the Secretary-General of the United Nations a declaration accepting the compulsory jurisdiction of the World Court under the Optional Clause ¹ of the Court's Statute. This declaration, which replaces the earlier declaration of 9 January I956, is important because it has been made after a thorough examination of India's position with regard to international adjudication and makes some significant changes in her earlier stand. Before, however, examining the full import of this acceptance, it would be interesting to see in brief the general position of the compulsory jurisdiction of the World Court, which is accepted by all to be essential if the Court is to fulfil the objectives for which it had been created.