Moscow/New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Tuesday said that while the Supreme Courts of India and Russia have evolved through different legal traditions, both face the common challenge of preserving public confidence in the administration of justice while adapting to a rapidly changing world.

In his address at a meeting with the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, Igor Krasnov, in Moscow, CJI Surya Kant highlighted the similarities between the two jurisdictions, which serve societies marked by immense scale and diversity.

“Since my last visit to your great country in 2024, during the BRICS Chief Justices Conference in Sochi, I have come to appreciate an interesting parallel between our two jurisdictions. The Supreme Court of India and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation serve societies of immense scale and diversity. Although our legal traditions have evolved along different historical paths, we share a common challenge: how to preserve public confidence in the administration of justice while adapting to a rapidly changing world,” he said.

Referring to the growing role of technology in judicial systems, CJI Surya Kant said modern judiciaries must harness technology responsibly while ensuring that justice continues to command public trust.

“The future of justice will depend upon our ability to combine technological innovation with enduring human values,” he said, stressing that while technology can expand access to courts and improve efficiency, the administration of justice must remain a fundamentally human endeavour.

The CJI said India’s experience with digital transformation of courts, including e-filing, virtual hearings, digitisation of records, AI-enabled translation tools, and virtual judicial assistance platforms, has been guided by the principle that technology should strengthen access to justice rather than replace judicial values.

He added that the effectiveness of judicial institutions ultimately depends on investment in people through continuous education, training and professional development.

Highlighting opportunities for deeper engagement between the two countries, CJI Surya Kant said India and Russia can strengthen judicial cooperation through institutional exchanges and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

“There is considerable scope for collaboration through exchanges between judicial academies, joint training programmes, research partnerships, and the sharing of best practices between Indian and Russian Judiciaries,” he said.

The CJI expressed confidence that continued dialogue and cooperation between the Supreme Court of India and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation would strengthen judicial institutions in both countries and contribute to more effective administration of justice.

“I am confident that continued engagement between the Supreme Court of India and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation will further strengthen our institutions and enrich the administration of justice in both our countries,” he said.

–IANS

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