UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

Why in news:

• India and Iran have agreed to pursue arbitration under rules framed by the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and will not go for commercial arbitration in foreign courts.

About UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL):  

• It is a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly established in 1966
• Mandate: To further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of international trade. 
• Membership:
  • The Commission is composed of 60 member States elected by the General Assembly.
  • The 60 member States include 14 African States, 14 Asian States, 8 Eastern European States, 10  Latin  American and Caribbean States and 14 Western European and other States. 
  • The General Assembly elects members for terms of six years; every three years the terms of half of the members expire. 
• India is a founding member of this organization.

Key facts about Chabahar Port

• It is a seaport in the Sistan-Balochistan province of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman, at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz. 
• It is a deep-water port with direct access to the Indian Ocean that is outside the Hormuz Strait.
• It's geographic proximity to countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, as well as its status as a key transit center on the burgeoning International North-South Transport Corridor.

Q1) What is North-South Transport Corridor

The North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC) is a multi-modal network of transportation routes that aims to connect Northern Europe to South Asia, bypassing traditional sea routes and thus reducing transportation time and costs. The corridor primarily focuses on improving connectivity between India, Iran, Russia, and Europe, and it encompasses a combination of sea, rail, and road routes.

Source: India and Iran drop foreign arbitration clause in Chabahar port issue