1. Introduction: Digital India, Analog
Disputes
India is rapidly becoming a digital-first economy. UPI
transactions, e-commerce, digital lending, OTT content, online
gaming and platform work have placed millions of individuals and
businesses inside always-on digital ecosystems. Yet when disputes
arise out of these relationships, the default pathway is still
twentieth-century litigation: paper pleadings, multiple
adjournments, physical hearings and long-drawn appeals.
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) sits at the intersection of law,
technology, and public policy. In its most basic form, ODR uses
digital tools to deliver negotiation, mediation, conciliation, and
arbitration. In its most advanced form, ODR blends artificial
intelligence, automation, and data analytics with human expertise
to create continuous, trackable and largely paperless
dispute-resolution journeys.
