An arbitral award made under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 is binding on the parties and, once the challenge period has passed or a challenge has been dismissed, enforceable as a decree of the civil court under Section 36.
This binding effect is precisely why the grounds to set aside an award under Section 34 are deliberately narrow — procedural fairness, jurisdiction and public policy, not a fresh look at the merits. Courts have repeatedly confirmed that Section 34 is not an appeal.
Parties sometimes assume arbitration is merely "advisory" or that either side can walk away from an unfavourable outcome. That is incorrect — a valid arbitration agreement commits both parties to a binding process from the outset, which is exactly what makes it a genuine alternative to litigation rather than a non-binding negotiation exercise.