1. What is International Law?

International law is a body of legal principles, norms and processes which regulate the relations of
States and other international persons, and governs their conduct affecting the interest of the
international community as a whole.
2. What is the importance of studying PIL?
3. What are the sources of international law according to Article 38 of the ICJ?
International Courts of Justice Statute, Article 38: The Court, whose function to decide in
accordance with international law such disputes as are submitted to it, shall apply:
International conventions, whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognized
by contesting States;
International customs, as evidence of a general practice as law;
The general principles of law recognized by civilized nations;
Subject to the provisions of Article 59, judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly
qualified publicists of the various nations, as subsidiary means for the determination of rules of
law
This provision shall not prejudice the power of the Court to decide a case ex aequo et bono, if the
parties agree thereto.
4. What are the elements of international customs?
International Customs, elements
Duration
Uniformity and consistency of practice
Generality of practice
Opinio juris sive necessitas or general practice accepted as law
5. What is the meaning of jus cogens?
A jus cogens or peremptory or is a norm which States cannot derogate or deviate from their
agreements. It is a mandatory norm and stands on a higher category than a jus dispositivum norm
which States can set aside or modify agreement.
6. Important doctrines of the nuclear test case.
Unilateral declarations can be binding. When it is the intention of the State making the declaration that
it should become bound according to its terms, that intention confers on the declaration of character of
a legal undertaking.