Often, arbitral awards are challenged in a court of law on the grounds of “public policy”. The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, amended over the years, deals with the issue of public policy in detail. Over the last three decades, the phrase “public policy” has gone through several changes, both legislatively and judicially. The legislature has made changes from time to time to incorporate the newer interpretations given by different courts, as well as the demands to plug the existing loopholes. This note traces the evolution of public policy in arbitration in India from 1996 to 2024.