PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION

PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION

Subject: International Organisations

Context : German telecom company Deutsche Telekom, an investor in Indian firm Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd, has filed a petition in a US court against the Indian government seeking confirmation of a $135-million compensation payment to it.

Concept:

• The compensation, which includes interest, was awarded by a Permanent Court of Arbitration in Geneva last year over the 2011 annulment of a satellite deal between Devas and the Indian Space Research Organization’s commercial arm, Antrix Corporation.

Permanent Court of Arbitration

• Established in: 1899.
• HQ: Hague, Netherlands.
• It is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to serve the international community in the field of dispute resolution and to facilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between States.
• The PCA has a three-part organizational structure consisting of:

Administrative Council- to oversee its policies and budgets,

Members of the Court- a panel of independent potential arbitrators, and

International Bureau- its Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General.

• It has Financial Assistance Fund which aims at helping developing countries meet part of the costs involved in international arbitration or other means of dispute settlement offered by the PCA.