Courts must speak language of rule of law, economics: CJI

What happened: CJI Surya Kant’s “Nyaya-nomics” on rule of law and economics

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said courts must communicate in “the language of both the rule of law and economics,” describing this as “Nyaya-nomics.” He argued that justice delivery must strengthen trust, predictability, and stability, because these conditions support economic growth. He also said that a courtroom that “keeps its word” quickly becomes a jurisdiction the world is willing to trust with capital.

CJI Surya Kant made these remarks at the 11th BRICS+ Legal Forum organised by the Bar Association of India. He used the metaphor that institutions are the “architecture” of growth rather than scaffolding built after growth starts, and he warned that removing that architecture makes prosperity appear fragile under shocks.

Background and earlier position: why rule of law links to economic confidence

A stable legal system supports economic confidence because legal rights and obligations are interpreted through known legal principles. Predictable adjudication helps reduce uncertainty about outcomes, which can support compliance and long-term planning for contracts and investment. When parties expect consistent enforcement of legal rules, they face fewer surprises that disrupt economic decisions.

What changed now: courts’–economy link explicitly framed as “Nyaya-nomics”