Arbitration is a legal technique for the extra judicial resolution of disputes. Arbitration in India often includes alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a category that more commonly refers to mediation (a form of settlement negotiation facilitated by a neutral third party).

Arbitration is today most commonly used for the resolution of commercial disputes, particularly in the context of international commercial transactions, and sometimes used to enforce credit obligations. It is also used in some countries to resolve other types of disputes, such as labor disputes, consumer disputes, or family disputes.