Adhiraj Malhotra

Adhiraj is a Senior Associate in the DIFC & International Arbitration team at HAS Law Firm. He is dual-qualified as an Advocate in India and as a Solicitor in England & Wales. He is also a registered practitioner with full rights of audience before the Courts in ADGM and AIFC. Additionally, Adhiraj is a Part-I practitioner with the DIFC Courts.

Adhiraj has 12 years of experience in advising and representing client in arbitrations with seats in across the Middle East, India, Europe and South-East Asia including Bilateral Investment Treaty arbitrations. He has represented clients under various arbitral rules like ICC, SIAC, LCIA, LMAA, ICDR, UNCITRAL, PCA and DIAC. He has also represented clients in international commercial and cross-border disputes before Courts in DIFC, ADGM, United Arab Emirates, India, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Adhiraj has also advised clients in complex inter-partes disputes across the energy & infrastructure, maritime, information technology and real estate sectors including advising and representing clients in mergers & acquisitions, securities infringements and regulatory compliances, across Courts, judicial and quasi-judicial authorities in India.

Recent Cases:

• Representing a publicly traded Indian entity in a US$560 million investment arbitration against Indonesia under the India-Indonesia BIT on issues surrounding claims of fair and equitable treatment, indirect expropriation, owing to overlapping licenses by a state entity.
• Representing an Indian sub-contractor in enforcement of an award before and obtaining worldwide freezing injunction against Egypt’s largest offshore and oil service provider. (DIFC Courts)
• Representing a global telecommunications conglomerate in a US$ 3.79 billion investment treaty arbitration claim by the Republic of India under the Netherlands-India BIT, arising out of a retrospective tax implication imposed by the Government of India.
• Representing a Swiss multi-national commodity trading company in a US$ 200 million construction arbitration against India’s leading real estate company. (Ad-hoc, India seated, Indian law)
• Representing a Qatari HNI in enforcement and execution proceedings of a US$90 million provisional award. (DIFC Courts, Dubai Courts)
• Representing a UAE-based Sovereign Wealth Fund in an investment arbitration against the Republic of India under the India-UAE BIT, over the cancellation of a bauxite supply project.
• Representing a global technology innovations company in a dispute under a service agreement with a leading supplier of structural steel buildings in the Middle East. (ICC Rules, UAE seated, ADGM law)
• Representing a global private equity firm in an arbitration against an Indian real estate developer arising out of investments in a luxury township. (SIAC Rules, Singapore seated, Indian law)
• Representing an Indian cement manufacturer in a US$30 million arbitration and enforcement proceedings. (ICC Rules, London seated, English law)
• Representing a private-equity backed master franchisee in multiple arbitrations against former franchisees of a multi-national QSR chain. (UNCITRAL Rules, New York seated, Indian & Lichtenstein law)
• Representing an Indian commodities supplier in an international arbitration against a global energy and resources conglomerate in a contract related to sale of petroleum coke. (LMAA Rules, London seated, English law)