Ruchi Agnihotri

Strategic Risk, Corporate Governance, White-Collar Defence & International Arbitration

Ruchi Agnihotri is a dispute resolution practitioner with over 26 years of experience in international and domestic arbitration, white-collar defence, and strategic risk advisory, across private practice, Big Law partnership, and General Counsel leadership.

Ruchi's practice spans the full arc of complex commercial disputes, from ICC arbitrations seated across multiple jurisdictions to regulatory investigations, enforcement proceedings, and strategic litigation avoidance advisory. She has represented Public Sector Undertakings, Multi-national Corporations, sovereign-linked entities, and leading Indian corporates in high-value, multi-forum disputes across the energy, infrastructure, telecom, oil and gas, and banking sectors.

She was a Partner in the Dispute Resolution practice at Amarchand Mangaldas and subsequently Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, where she headed the Arbitration and White Collar Crimes practice groups. She has also served as General Counsel at Hindustan Power Projects Private Limited, leading the legal function across the group's thermal, solar, and infrastructure entities. She also practised as Counsel at DSK Legal and accepts select mandates as Arbitrator and Fractional General Counsel.

​​​

​

Select Experience

• Represented a Navaratna Public Sector Undertaking in an ICC Arbitration governed by English law, seated in London, arising from a Turnkey Contract for the construction of a power plant in Sulemaniah, Kurdistan, Iraq.

• Co-represented a Mozambican company in an ICC Arbitration governed by Mozambican law, seated in Maputo, against the Government of Mozambique, arising from the termination of a Concession Agreement for the rehabilitation and operation of a Railway System in Central Mozambique.

• Co-represented a Brazilian subsidiary of a Navaratna Public Sector Undertaking in an arbitration governed by Brazilian law, seated in Paris, in claims against major South American energy companies under a Joint Operating Agreement for the exploration of offshore oil wells in Brazil.

• Represented an Australian coal manufacturer in an ICC Arbitration governed by Indian law, seated in New Delhi, in a USD 160 million dispute against a leading Indian Public Sector Undertaking arising from an alleged breach of a coal supply agreement.

• Represented the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) before the Supreme Court of India in the Presidential Reference (Presidential Reference 1 of 2012), examining the policy and manner of allocation of natural resources by the Government of India.

• Conducted internal investigations for leading Indian banks under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, following a sting operation — advising on regulatory obligations, legal exposure, and remedial action.

• Conducted investigations under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and UK Bribery Act for multinational corporations operating in India.

• Represented a leading Indian passive infrastructure provider before the Delhi High Court in a series of arbitration-related disputes with a telecom service provider under Sections 9 and 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.

• Represented a leading steel and power company before the Supreme Court of India in an appeal by the Competition Commission of India, involving questions of statutory interpretation under the Competition Act, 2002.

• Represented a Navaratna Public Sector Undertaking in a domestic arbitration arising from a Pipeline Contract Agreement with the Government of Sudan.

A detailed experience statement is available on a confidential basis.