Law4u - Made in India

Can Indian citizens approach the ICJ?

21-Jun-2025
International Law

Answer By law4u team

No, individual Indian citizens cannot directly approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Here is why: The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and only hears cases between sovereign states (countries), not individuals or private entities. Only states or international organizations recognized by the UN can be parties before the ICJ. Indian citizens who have disputes involving international law or foreign states must rely on the Government of India to take up their case at the ICJ. Individuals seeking justice for violations involving international law typically approach domestic courts, human rights bodies, or international tribunals designed for individual complaints (like the International Criminal Court, but India is not a party to all such courts). In brief, the ICJ handles disputes between nations, so Indian citizens cannot file cases there personally but may seek government intervention if the issue concerns the state.

Answer By Ayantika Mondal

Dear Client, No, Indian citizens are not able to go directly to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ only hears cases of disputes between nations, not people. Sovereign states, such as the Government of India, can initiate cases in the ICJ on behalf of their citizens. If there is a problem involving an Indian citizen that requires international legal action, then the government will have to pursue it. People can, however, go to certain international human rights forums but not the ICJ. I hope this answer helps. In case of future queries, please feel free to contact us. Thank you.

International Law Verified Advocates

Get expert legal advice instantly.

Advocate Aakash Kumar Mishra

Advocate Aakash Kumar Mishra

Anticipatory Bail, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Cheque Bounce, Child Custody, Consumer Court, Criminal, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Family, Labour & Service, Motor Accident, Property, Recovery, Arbitration, Armed Forces Tribunal, Banking & Finance, Breach of Contract, Civil, Court Marriage, Corporate, Customs & Central Excise, Cyber Crime, Documentation, High Court, Immigration, Insurance, International Law, Landlord & Tenant, Media and Entertainment, Medical Negligence, NCLT, Patent, Startup, RERA, Supreme Court, Succession Certificate, Trademark & Copyright, Wills Trusts, Revenue, R.T.I

Get Advice
Advocate Pradeep Chaudhary

Advocate Pradeep Chaudhary

Anticipatory Bail,Arbitration,Armed Forces Tribunal,Bankruptcy & Insolvency,Banking & Finance,Breach of Contract,Cheque Bounce,Child Custody,Civil,Consumer Court,Corporate,Court Marriage,Customs & Central Excise,Criminal,Cyber Crime,Divorce,Documentation,GST,Domestic Violence,Family,High Court,Immigration,Insurance,International Law,Labour & Service,Landlord & Tenant,Media and Entertainment,Medical Negligence,Motor Accident,Muslim Law,NCLT,Patent,Property,R.T.I,Recovery,RERA,Startup,Succession Certificate,Tax,Trademark & Copyright,Wills Trusts,

Get Advice
Advocate Dr Srinivas Rao P

Advocate Dr Srinivas Rao P

Consumer Court, Corporate, Criminal, Cyber Crime, GST, Family, High Court, Immigration, International Law, Landlord & Tenant, Motor Accident, Patent, R.T.I, Startup, Supreme Court

Get Advice
Advocate Logesh

Advocate Logesh

Anticipatory Bail, Arbitration, Armed Forces Tribunal, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Banking & Finance, Corporate, Consumer Court, Civil, Child Custody, Cheque Bounce, Breach of Contract, Customs & Central Excise, Criminal, Cyber Crime, Insurance, Succession Certificate, Medical Negligence, Media and Entertainment, Startup, RERA, Recovery, Family, High Court, Immigration, International Law, Motor Accident, Divorce, Documentation, Labour & Service, Muslim Law, GST, Domestic Violence, Landlord & Tenant, Patent, NCLT, Property, R.T.I, Trademark & Copyright, Tax, Supreme Court, Revenue, Wills Trusts

Get Advice
Advocate Atul Kumar Shukla

Advocate Atul Kumar Shukla

Banking & Finance, Breach of Contract, Child Custody, Family, Divorce, Cyber Crime, Customs & Central Excise, Consumer Court, Cheque Bounce, Court Marriage, Criminal, GST, Muslim Law, R.T.I, Property, Motor Accident, Media and Entertainment, Labour & Service, Immigration, Domestic Violence, Insurance, International Law, High Court, Documentation, Recovery, Trademark & Copyright, Wills Trusts, Tax, Patent, RERA, NCLT, Medical Negligence, Arbitration, Anticipatory Bail, Armed Forces Tribunal, Startup, Revenue, Corporate, Civil, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Landlord & Tenant

Get Advice
Advocate Venkat Malli

Advocate Venkat Malli

Anticipatory Bail, Arbitration, Armed Forces Tribunal, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Banking & Finance, Breach of Contract, Cheque Bounce, Child Custody, Civil, Consumer Court, Corporate, Court Marriage, Customs & Central Excise, Criminal, Cyber Crime, Divorce, Documentation, GST, Domestic Violence, Family, High Court, Immigration, Insurance, International Law, Labour & Service, Landlord & Tenant, Media and Entertainment, Medical Negligence, Motor Accident, Muslim Law, NCLT, Patent, Property, R.T.I, Recovery, RERA, Startup, Succession Certificate, Supreme Court, Tax, Trademark & Copyright, Wills Trusts, Revenue

Get Advice
Advocate Parvind Kumar

Advocate Parvind Kumar

Anticipatory Bail,Arbitration,Armed Forces Tribunal,Bankruptcy & Insolvency,Banking & Finance,Breach of Contract,Cheque Bounce,Child Custody,Civil,Consumer Court,Corporate,Court Marriage,Customs & Central Excise,Criminal,Cyber Crime,Divorce,Documentation,Domestic Violence,Family,High Court,Immigration,Insurance,International Law,Labour & Service,Landlord & Tenant,Media and Entertainment,Medical Negligence,Motor Accident,Muslim Law,NCLT,Patent,Property,R.T.I,Recovery,RERA,Startup,Succession Certificate,Trademark & Copyright,Wills Trusts,Supreme Court,

Get Advice
Advocate Darshan Panchal

Advocate Darshan Panchal

Property, Recovery, Labour & Service, Landlord & Tenant, High Court, Customs & Central Excise, GST, Immigration, International Law, Family, Divorce, Cyber Crime, Documentation, Domestic Violence, Consumer Court, Arbitration, Armed Forces Tribunal, Anticipatory Bail, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Banking & Finance, Cheque Bounce, Breach of Contract, Corporate, Child Custody, Civil, Court Marriage, Criminal, Insurance, Medical Negligence, Media and Entertainment, NCLT, Motor Accident, Muslim Law, R.T.I, Startup, RERA, Trademark & Copyright, Supreme Court, Wills Trusts, Revenue, Succession Certificate, Patent, Tax

Get Advice
Advocate Sanjay Kustwar

Advocate Sanjay Kustwar

Anticipatory Bail, Armed Forces Tribunal, Breach of Contract, Cheque Bounce, Child Custody, Civil, Consumer Court, Court Marriage, Customs & Central Excise, Criminal, Cyber Crime, Divorce, Documentation, Domestic Violence, Family, High Court, Immigration, Insurance, International Law, Labour & Service, Landlord & Tenant, Media and Entertainment, Medical Negligence, Motor Accident, Muslim Law, NCLT, Patent, Property, R.T.I, Recovery, RERA, Startup, Succession Certificate, Supreme Court, Trademark & Copyright, Wills Trusts, Revenue

Get Advice
Advocate Prabhat Chaudhary

Advocate Prabhat Chaudhary

High Court, Anticipatory Bail, Arbitration, Armed Forces Tribunal, Breach of Contract, Cheque Bounce, Child Custody, Civil, Consumer Court, Corporate, Court Marriage, Customs & Central Excise, Criminal, Divorce, Documentation, Cyber Crime, Domestic Violence, Family, Immigration, Property, R.T.I, Recovery, Patent, Motor Accident, Muslim Law, Media and Entertainment, Medical Negligence, Succession Certificate, Trademark & Copyright, Wills Trusts, Supreme Court, Tax, Revenue, Insurance, International Law, Landlord & Tenant, Labour & Service, Banking & Finance, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, GST, NCLT, RERA, Startup

Get Advice

International Law Related Questions

Discover clear and detailed answers to common questions about Breach of Contract. Learn about procedures and more in straightforward language.