How Long Does Arbitration Take in India?

"How long will it take?" is usually the first question people ask about arbitration. The honest answer is: the arbitration itself, from the arbitrator's appointment to the award, typically takes 12 to 24 months for a contested domestic case. But the full journey, from the first notice to money in the bank, can be shorter or much longer, depending on whether the other side cooperates in appointing an arbitrator, whether it challenges the award, and whether it pays.

This guide explains the time limits in the Arbitration Act, how they work in practice, and the stages before and after the arbitration that add time. In short: the law requires the pleadings within six months of appointment and the award within 12 months after that, with a six-month extension by consent and further extensions only by a court. Fast-track arbitration can produce an award within six months. International arbitrations are not bound by the 12-month limit, though tribunals aim for it.

We also list the practical steps that save time, and the ones that cost it.

The short answer

For a domestic arbitration between two Indian businesses, where the other side takes part and contests the claim, expect roughly the following. One to three months from the notice to the appointment of an arbitrator, if the parties agree or an institution appoints; two to nine months if a court has to appoint under Section 11. Up to six months for pleadings. Six to twelve months for evidence, hearings and the award. So the arbitration stage usually ends 12 to 24 months after the appointment.

After the award, if the losing side does not challenge it and pays, the matter ends within weeks. If it challenges under Section 34, add one to three years in court, though you may receive a deposit during that time. If it neither challenges nor pays, execution can take a few weeks to many months, depending on its assets.

A simple claim, decided on documents under a fast-track procedure, can produce an award within six months of the appointment.

The legal time limits

How Section 29A works in practice

Section 29A was added in 2015 and revised in 2019. The current version says that, for domestic arbitrations, the award must be made within 12 months from the date of completion of pleadings under Section 23(4). The parties can agree to extend this by up to six months. If the award is still not made, the arbitrator's mandate terminates, unless the court extends it before or after the period expires.

The court can extend the period for sufficient cause and on terms. If the delay is attributable to the arbitral tribunal, the court can reduce the arbitrators' fees by up to 5% for each month of delay. While an application for extension is pending, the arbitrator's mandate continues. The court can also substitute one or all of the arbitrators.

Two recent Supreme Court decisions clarified this area. In Rohan Builders v Berger Paints (2024), the Court held that an application to extend can be filed even after the mandate has expired. In Jagdeep Chowgule v Sheela Chowgule (January 2026), it held that the application goes to the "Court" defined in Section 2(1)(e), which is usually the principal civil court or the High Court's original side, not the High Court that appointed the arbitrator under Section 11. See time extension.

What slows arbitrations down

How to keep your arbitration on track

Fast-track arbitration under Section 29B

Section 29B allows the parties, before or at the time of appointing the tribunal, to agree in writing that the dispute will be resolved by fast-track procedure. The tribunal is a sole arbitrator chosen by the parties. The dispute is decided on written pleadings, documents and written submissions, without an oral hearing unless the parties request one or the arbitrator considers it necessary. The award must be made within six months of the tribunal entering upon the reference.

Fast-track is suitable for disputes that turn on documents: unpaid invoices, refund of deposits, simple breach claims. It is less suitable where witness evidence and cross-examination are central. Both sides must agree, so it works best when written into the contract or agreed early. Many institutions also offer expedited procedures under their own rules. See fast-track arbitration.

International arbitrations: a target, not a deadline

For international commercial arbitrations, the 2019 amendment changed Section 29A so that the 12-month period is only something the tribunal should "endeavour" to meet. There is no automatic termination of the mandate. International arbitrations seated in India therefore follow the timetable fixed by the tribunal and, if administered by an institution, its rules.

In practice, international arbitrations often take 18 to 30 months, because of document production, expert evidence and the need to coordinate parties and witnesses in different countries. Institutional expedited procedures can shorten this significantly for smaller claims.

The time before the arbitration starts

The arbitration clock only starts properly once an arbitrator is in place. The time before that depends almost entirely on the clause and the other side's attitude.

If the clause names an institution, the institution can appoint quickly when a party fails to nominate. If the clause provides a neutral method, such as each side proposing names with a fallback to the court, and the other side cooperates, appointment can happen within a few weeks of the notice. If the other side ignores the notice, you must wait 30 days from its receipt before filing a Section 11 petition, and then the court process takes its own time.

Before any of this, the claim itself must be within limitation. Most money claims must be started within three years, and the arbitration "starts" for limitation purposes on the date the other side receives the Section 21 notice. Sending the notice early protects the claim even if the appointment then takes time. See arbitration notice and limitation for arbitration claims.

The time after the award

An award is not money in the bank. After it is delivered, the losing party has three months, plus up to 30 days for sufficient cause, to apply to set it aside under Section 34. If no challenge is filed in that time, the award becomes enforceable as a decree. If a challenge is filed, it does not stop enforcement unless the court grants a stay, which for money awards is usually conditional on deposit of the amount or a substantial part of it.

Section 34(6) asks courts to decide challenges within a year of notice to the other side. In practice, courts with heavy caseloads often take longer, and an appeal under Section 37 can add one to two years. But the deposit ordered as a condition of stay can often be withdrawn by the award holder against security, so the award holder may receive most of its money well before the challenge ends.

If the losing party simply does not pay, execution against its bank accounts, receivables and property can produce results within weeks, or take many months if assets are hidden.

How the 2026 Supreme Court decisions affect timing

Several 2026 decisions bear directly on how long arbitrations take. Jagdeep Chowgule (January) and Viva Highways v MPRDC (February) settled which court decides time extensions and substitutions, which removes a common source of jurisdictional delay. NHAI v T. Younis (June) held that the Section 34 period runs from disposal of a Section 33 request, and warned that sham Section 33 requests filed only to extend time may attract costs. Tarini Prasad Mohanty v Sunflag (May) discouraged writ petitions against arbitrators' jurisdiction rulings midway through a case, which helps keep arbitrations moving. Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board v Saryu Plastics (May) held that a party who took part without objection after the mandate expired could not later challenge the award on that ground.

Taken together, these decisions push parties to raise objections promptly, use the right forum, and avoid procedural detours that add delay.

MSME council cases: a faster track?

For micro and small suppliers with delayed payment claims, the MSME Facilitation Council route has its own timeline. Section 18(5) of the MSMED Act says every reference to the council must be decided within 90 days of the reference. In practice, councils often take several months, because of conciliation sittings and caseloads. Even so, the council route is often quicker overall than a contractual arbitration, because there is no appointment fight and the buyer faces a 75% deposit to challenge the award. See MSEFC conciliation and arbitration.

Institutional arbitrations and timelines

Institutions add structure. They appoint arbitrators quickly when a party fails to nominate, collect fees so that fee disputes do not stall the case, follow up on deadlines, and provide hearing facilities. Their rules often set time frames for each step. All of this tends to reduce the dead time in an arbitration, especially at the start.

Institutions also offer expedited procedures for smaller claims, with shorter deadlines, a sole arbitrator and limited hearings. Under the SIAC Rules 2025, for example, a streamlined procedure exists for low-value claims, and other institutions have similar tracks. Indian institutions such as DIAC and IIAC have their own fast-track options.

But an institution cannot make a determined party cooperate. If a party floods the case with applications, seeks repeated adjournments or refuses to pay fees, delay is still possible. The tribunal's firmness in managing the case matters as much as the institution.

Settlement: often the fastest ending

The quickest way out of an arbitration is usually settlement, and many arbitrations settle. Common moments are just after the arbitrator is appointed, when the other side sees that the case will proceed; after pleadings, when both sides have seen each other's case; after cross-examination of the key witness; and after the award, when the losing side weighs a challenge against payment.

A settlement can be recorded by the tribunal as an award on agreed terms under Section 30, which is enforceable like any other award. Mediation during the arbitration, with the tribunal's agreement, is increasingly common. If you are open to settlement, say so early, in a separate without-prejudice letter; it costs nothing and often shortens the case dramatically.

Delay by the tribunal itself

Sometimes delay comes from the arbitrator: hearings fixed months apart, awards reserved for long periods, or a tribunal member who becomes unavailable. Section 29A deals with this in part: if the award is not made within the time, the mandate ends unless extended by the court, and the court can reduce the fee by up to 5% for each month of delay attributable to the tribunal. It can also substitute an arbitrator.

Section 14 allows a party to apply to court to end an arbitrator's mandate where the arbitrator becomes unable to perform their functions or fails to act without undue delay. These are serious steps and are used sparingly, but they exist. More often, a polite written request to the tribunal for firm dates, copied to the other side, is enough.