Hamburg, Oct. 2 -- India's Bimal Patel has officially assumed office as a judge on the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, known as ITLOS.

Patel administered his oath on Thursday at the tribunal's headquarters in Hamburg, marking the commencement of a nine-year mandate on the premier judicial institution dedicated to maritime law while sustaining India's representation within the body.

Neeru Chadha, who previously served as a vice president of the tribunal, concluded her tenure on Wednesday.

A distinguished international jurist, Patel previously served on the United Nations International Law Commission and held the position of vice chancellor at Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat when member states party to the UN Conven...