By S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors · Published 5 May 2026 · Informational content, not legal advice. See our disclaimer
What an Anti-Suit Injunction Does
An anti-suit injunction is an order restraining a party from initiating or continuing proceedings before a foreign court, issued by a court that has jurisdiction over that party personally. It does not purport to bind or direct the foreign court itself: it operates against the individual or entity, compelling them to discontinue the foreign proceeding on pain of contempt.
The Governing Principles
Indian courts apply well-settled principles, drawn substantially from the Supreme Court's guidance in this area, before granting anti-suit relief: the defendant against whom the injunction is sought must be amenable to the personal jurisdiction of the Indian court; the foreign proceeding must be oppressive or vexatious, or its continuance would work injustice; and the grant of an anti-suit injunction must not offend principles of comity between courts of different jurisdictions, meaning it is an exceptional remedy exercised sparingly rather than routinely.
Continuing parallel proceedings in a forum the parties have expressly excluded by an exclusive jurisdiction clause is a recognised, strong ground for anti-suit relief, since it directly undermines the parties' contractual bargain on where disputes are to be resolved.
When Businesses Should Consider Seeking One
A cross-border commercial dispute with an exclusive jurisdiction clause favouring Indian courts is the clearest scenario for anti-suit relief: if a foreign counterparty commences proceedings abroad in apparent breach of that clause, prompt action to seek an anti-suit injunction can prevent the dispute from fragmenting across two jurisdictions and avoid the risk of inconsistent outcomes.
Anti-suit relief is generally harder to obtain where there is no exclusive jurisdiction clause and the foreign proceeding is not obviously vexatious: courts are considerably more cautious about restraining a party from litigating in a forum it has an independent, legitimate basis to approach.
Practical Considerations
Speed matters: an anti-suit injunction is far more likely to succeed, and to actually prevent wasted costs, if sought promptly after the foreign proceeding is commenced, rather than after significant time and resources have already been spent litigating abroad. Businesses with cross-border commercial arrangements should monitor for any foreign filing closely and be prepared to act quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an anti-suit injunction bind the foreign court?
No. It operates against the party personally, restraining them from pursuing the foreign proceeding, not against the foreign court's own jurisdiction or authority.
Is an exclusive jurisdiction clause required to obtain an anti-suit injunction?
It is not strictly required, but it is the clearest and most commonly successful basis, since breach of an agreed exclusive forum is itself treated as vexatious conduct.
How quickly should a business act if a counterparty files abroad in breach of a jurisdiction clause?
As quickly as possible: delay increases both the cost already sunk into the foreign proceeding and the argument that the applicant acquiesced in the foreign forum by not objecting sooner.
Can an Indian court be restrained from hearing a case by a foreign anti-suit injunction?
Indian courts have generally resisted foreign anti-suit injunctions that would restrain proceedings properly brought before them, applying reciprocal principles of comity and sovereignty.
References & Further Reading
This article references the following statutory provisions. Readers should always verify current rules, fees and timelines against the applicable statute and rules as amended, since these are revised from time to time.
- Modi Entertainment Network v. W.S.G. Cricket Pte. Ltd., (2003) 4 SCC 341, laying down the governing principles for anti-suit injunctions in India.
- General principles of private international law and comity as applied by Indian courts in cross-border commercial disputes.