Rahul Donde is an independent arbitrator and counsel with nearly two decades of experience in international commercial and investment arbitration. Trained in the common law and with over sixteen years of practice in a civil law jurisdiction, he sits as sole arbitrator, presiding arbitrator and co-arbitrator in institutional and ad hoc proceedings, in India and internationally, seated across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. As counsel, he acts for parties in domestic and international arbitrations, on direct instruction and on instructions from law firms.
“The go-to person for disputes with India and Europe connections.”
“A true common law expert with broad civil law experience.”
“He is always very well prepared and excellent as an arbitrator.”
“He resolves complicated legal issues with clarity and speed.”
‘Global Elite Thought Leader’, Lexology Index: Arbitration 2026
Arbitrator
Arbitrator experience
Rahul Donde regularly sits as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator and presiding arbitrator in disputes under the LCIA, ICC, SIAC, DIAC, HKIAC, MCIA and Swiss Rules, as well as in ad hoc proceedings under the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. His seats include Mumbai, Singapore, London, Hong Kong, the DIFC (Dubai), Geneva, Zurich and Paris.
In India, he has sat in Mumbai-seated arbitrations under the MCIA Rules and the 1996 Act, including as presiding arbitrator appointed by the Hon’ble High Court at Bombay.
His cases frequently involve international sanctions, anti-suit injunctions and parallel court proceedings, urgent applications for interim and conservatory measures, including security for costs, disputes arising from settlement agreements, multi-party and multi-contract disputes, termination of services and contractor agreements, and expedited procedures, with particular concentration in trade and commodities, construction, and energy and infrastructure.
He is included in the LCIA’s database of arbitrators and is empanelled as an arbitrator with CRCICA, Delos, DIAC, HKIAC (List of Arbitrators), MCIA, NPAC, THAC (Panel of Arbitrators), SIAC and WIPO (List of Neutrals).
He has applied English, Singaporean, Hong Kong, Indian, UAE, Swiss, French and Russian substantive law.
Selected appointments
Dispute between Swiss and Egyptian companies arising out of a contract for the sale of oil country tubular goods (OCTG steel).
Subcontract for instrumentation and control installation works at a 1,800MW combined-cycle power plant, between Bahraini and Turkish companies.
ICCSole ArbitratorSeatZurichLawEnglishSectorConstruction / EPC / Power
Railway equipment and services contract between a Spanish company and a Russian state-owned entity, involving anti-suit injunctions and arbitrability disputes.
ICCCo-ArbitratorSeatParisLawRussianSectorRailway / Transport
Demurrage charges and port dues arising out of CFR contracts for the purchase of crude oil, between Singaporean and Indonesian companies.
Dispute between Swiss and Czech entities arising out of blockchain-based debt securities.
Swiss Arbitration CentreSole ArbitratorSeatZurichLawSwissSectorBanking & Finance / Digital Securities
Ad hoc arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, concerning the sale of a power plant, including disputes over warranties and completion obligations.
Ad hoc (India)Presiding ArbitratorSeatMumbaiLawIndianSectorEnergy & Infrastructure
All appointments
Role
Sector
LCIA
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Swiss and Egyptian companies arising out of a contract for the sale of oil country tubular goods (OCTG steel), including payment obligations and interest.
Dispute between British and Hong Kong companies concerning a contract for the sale of iron ore pellet chips, including payment and performance obligations.
Dispute between a Russian industrial enterprise and an Italian company arising out of equipment supply contracts for a fertilizer plant, involving EU sanctions, advance payment recovery and force majeure.
Dispute between British and American companies arising out of the sale of chemicals, including claims for unpaid goods, storage costs and disputes over CFR delivery terms.
Dispute between a French industrial-technology company and an Italian engineering company concerning payment obligations under a settlement agreement.
SeatParisLawFrench lawSectorTrade and Distribution
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between a Kenyan company and an Italian company arising out of construction contracts for grain silos and warehouses, including claims for delays and defects.
SeatGenevaLawEnglish lawSectorConstruction
Sole Arbitrator
Expedited arbitration between Bahraini and Turkish companies arising out of a subcontract for instrumentation and control installation works at a 1,800MW combined-cycle power plant, including disputes over delays and cost overruns.
SeatZurichLawEnglish lawSectorConstruction / EPC / Power
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Swiss and German entities arising out of a supply agreement for ferrotitanium, involving the application of European and Swiss sanctions instruments.
SeatGenevaLawSwiss lawSectorMetals / Trading
Co-Arbitrator
Dispute between a Spanish company and a Russian state-owned entity arising out of a railway equipment and services contract, involving anti-suit injunctions, applications to restrain parallel court proceedings and arbitrability disputes.
SeatParisLawRussian lawSectorRailway / Transport
DIAC
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between an Emirati sub-contractor and the UAE subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned construction group arising out of a sub-contract for the construction of 120 villas, including claims for site hand-over failures, design non-compliance, payment defaults and wrongful termination.
SeatDIFC, DubaiLawUAE lawSectorConstruction / Residential Development
SIAC
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Singaporean and Indonesian companies concerning demurrage charges and port dues arising out of CFR contracts for the purchase of crude oil, including disputes over laytime calculations.
Dispute concerning guarantee obligations and an assignment agreement between Singaporean, Lithuanian and Russian entities, including claims for unpaid amounts.
SeatHong KongLawHong Kong lawSectorConsumer Goods / Guarantees
Swiss Arbitration Centre
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Swiss and Czech entities arising out of blockchain-based debt securities, including payment claims and contested jurisdictional objections.
SeatZurichLawSwiss lawSectorBanking & Finance / Digital Securities
India (MCIA and Ad hoc)
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between two Indian hospitality companies concerning a financing agreement in the hospitality sector.
SeatMumbaiLawIndian lawSectorHospitality
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Indian healthcare and pharmaceutical companies concerning a pharmaceutical distribution agreement, including payment disputes.
SeatMumbaiLawIndian lawSectorPharmaceuticals / Distribution
Sole Arbitrator
Dispute between Indian companies arising out of a supply agreement for lubricants, including payment disputes.
SeatMumbaiLawIndian lawSectorTransport / Supply
Presiding Arbitrator
Ad hoc arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, between Indian companies concerning the sale of a power plant, including disputes over warranties and completion obligations.
Rahul Donde acts as counsel in domestic and international commercial arbitrations, both on direct instruction and on instructions from law firms. He also accepts instructions as specialist co-counsel, including in relation to written and oral advocacy, arbitration strategy and procedural issues. His work also includes advice on arbitration agreements, pre-dispute strategy and settlement in connection with actual or potential disputes.
He acts as counsel in Swiss-seated arbitrations, advises on annulment strategy before the Swiss Federal Tribunal, and works alongside Swiss litigation counsel where court proceedings are involved. Where he is instructed by a law firm, the firm retains the client relationship.
Representative counsel engagements
Sector
Counsel to an Indian multinational company in two LCIA arbitrations with its shareholders; also advised the company in annulment proceedings before the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
SeatGenevaLawEnglishSectorConsumer Goods
Counsel to an Indian multinational company in its disputes with an Italian company concerning the supply of steel pipes.
SeatGenevaLawSwissSectorEnergy & Infrastructure
Counsel to an Indian company in its construction disputes with an African state-owned entity.
SeatGenevaLawFIDIC Yellow BookSectorConstruction
Counsel to an Indian multinational company in aviation-sector settlement discussions and pre-arbitration strategy with an American bank and a Swiss entity: advised on dispute strategy and settlement structure, reviewed and revised the draft deed of settlement, and advised on the approach to related steps before the Zurich bankruptcy office.
SeatZurichLawSwissSectorAviation
Counsel to an Indian company in settlement discussions with another Indian company.
SeatSingaporeLawEnglishSectorChemicals
Counsel to an American industrial manufacturer in its disputes with an Indian company concerning the long-term supply of machinery for an oil and gas project.
Counsel to an American multinational company in an ICC arbitration against a consortium of multinational commodity mining and shipping companies in Africa concerning shipping rights.
Member of the counsel team in an ad hoc investment arbitration against a Middle Eastern state under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Agreement, arising out of a share purchase.
TypeInvestment arbitration
Counsel to an Indian company, instructed through an Indian law firm, in the recovery of amounts due from a Swiss company under a supply relationship: advising on pre-dispute strategy, a formal notice of demand and the Swiss debt-enforcement route.
LawSwissTypeDebt recovery / enforcement
Earlier, at Kanga & Co., Mumbai, he was a member of counsel teams representing parties in domestic arbitrations and appeared in more than 20 disputes before judicial and quasi-judicial authorities, including the Bombay High Court, the City Civil Court, the Company Law Board and the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
Employment-related disputes, international administrative law and UNCITRAL Rules
Rahul Donde has advised employers and employees on employment-related issues under Indian labour law, including matters involving conduct, performance, wages and termination processes.
He is familiar with the general principles of international administrative law, including due-process safeguards, proportionality and the review of administrative decisions.
He has served as tribunal secretary in several arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, including PCA-administered proceedings, and in treaty-based arbitrations.
About
About Rahul Donde
Rahul Donde is qualified in India and based in Geneva and Mumbai, bringing a distinctive cross-system perspective that combines common law training with extensive experience in civil law jurisdictions.
He began his career at Kanga & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, Mumbai, and founded Rahul Donde Dispute Resolution in Geneva in 2024, after close to twelve years at Lévy Kaufmann-Kohler. In 2026 the practice opened its second office in Fort, Mumbai, placing it on the ground in both Europe and India. He is an Honorary Lecturer at the School of Law, University of Aberdeen.
An Indian national, he is fluent in English, Marathi and Hindi, with working proficiency in French.
Education
LL.M., Oil and Gas Law, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, 2018
LL.M., International Dispute Settlement (MIDS), 2nd rank, Graduate Institute and University of Geneva, 2011
Diploma in ADR, Distinction, International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2009
B.L.S., LL.B., First Class, Honours, Government Law College, Mumbai, 2008
Career
Principal, Rahul Donde Dispute Resolution, Geneva & Mumbai, 2024–present
Honorary Lecturer, School of Law, University of Aberdeen, 2020–present
