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Arbitration & ADR

Arbitration is the default for cross-border commercial disputes because the New York Convention makes awards far more portable than judgments. Local law still governs the seat, the arbitrability of the subject matter and the narrow grounds for annulment.

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Reviewed· 2026-08-03

A leading seat for international commercial arbitration

SIAC arbitration and the Singapore International Commercial Court give parties a neutral, English-language forum with strong enforcement support from the courts.

Key rules

  • The International Arbitration Act adopts the UNCITRAL Model Law.
  • Courts intervene minimally and set aside awards only on Model Law grounds.
  • The Singapore Convention on Mediation gives mediated settlements direct enforceability.

Governing law

  • International Arbitration Act 1994
  • Singapore Convention on Mediation (2019)

Choosing Singapore as the seat is common even where neither party is Singaporean, precisely because of the judiciary's non-interventionist record.

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