UAE-based Khaled Al-Marri & Partners has added former Delhi High Court judge Justice Talwant Singh, as honorary chair to the firm’s advisory board. After remitting office, Justice Singh was a legal director at the firm since September 2024.
Justice Singh was elevated as a permanent Judge of the Delhi High Court in the year 2019 and retired in June 2023.
Justice Singh has played a prominent role in judicial technology and institutional reform in India. He was appointed as Member (Judicial) of the Supreme Court’s E-Committee in 2013. In that capacity, Justice Singh was closely involved in the nationwide computerisation of courts, a landmark initiative that impacted more than 14,000 courts across India.
“The legal and commercial engagement between India and the UAE has expanded significantly in recent years, bringing with it a new layer of regulatory, enforcement, and dispute-related complexity,” said Justice Singh. “I look forward to continuing my association in an advisory capacity and supporting the firm in matters pertaining to India with a special focus on judicial cooperation treaty and legal interest of the citizens and businesses of the two countries and our shared resolve to serve the Indian diaspora overseas.”
Most recently, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs of India appointed Justice Singh as Chairperson of the Appellate Authority of the Professional Institutes, which adjudicates upon appeals relating to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI), further underscoring his forensic insight and commitment towards developing India’s judicial and quasi-judicial jurisprudence.
“Justice Singh’s decision to accept to chair our Advisory Board strengthens our platform as we continue to advise clients navigating increasingly sophisticated legal and regulatory issues connected to India,” said Khaled Khalfan Al-Marri, managing partner, co-founder and litigation practice head at Khaled Al-Marri & Partners Dubai
“Given Justice Singh’s illustrious body of judicial work and wisdom which have already proved to be a rare arsenal in our clients’ armoury. We are certain of being able to further enrich our performance and commitment to our shared cause, especially when it comes to serving the Indian diaspora, and disputes and/or transactions necessitating a deep understanding of Indian jurisprudence and public policy,” said Kushagra Ashok Arora, founder of Khaled Al-Marri & Partners Dubai.
The appointment comes amid a sharp rise in India-UAE legal and regulatory ties. With India as the UAE’s second‑largest trading partner and 3.5 million Indian expatriates in the UAE, cross‑border corporate, real‑estate, family, and enforcement issues have grown. The India–UAE CEPA has boosted investment in fintech, renewables, infrastructure, and pharma, while the recently-signed BIT and closer legal‑assistance cooperation have increased demand for lawyers who understand both systems.
In recent years, the India-UAE legal corridor saw several moves of partners and law firms: Arjun Uppal, a partner at AZB & Partners in India, moved to the UAE in 2025 and joined KARM Legal Consultants in Abu Dhabi as an “of counsel”. While Kochar & Co has long been present in the UAE with a licensed Dubai office, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas expanded into the UAE by opening an office in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in early 2024. DSK Legal then opened offices in Dubai and ADGM in 2025, appointing UAE‑experienced lawyer Vinodh Kumar as resident partner. At the same time, UAE‑based Habib Al Mulla & Partners opened a New Delhi office in 2025, highlighting a two‑way corridor where UAE firms hire Indian‑qualified lawyers and Indian‑qualified lawyers move into UAE‑based firms
