Amit Shah urges full lab-grown diamond chain to stay in India

If India wants to lead the world in lab-grown diamonds, manufacturing alone will not be enough. The entire chain, from manufacturing to branding to selling, will have to be built within the country, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said. He was speaking at the 52nd India Gems and Jewellery Awards event in Mumbai.

Shah said Indian industry should strengthen itself at every step, from the machinery used to grow lab-grown diamonds to jewellery manufacturing, branding, showrooms and the network to sell across the world. He said the global market for this sector is set to become much larger in future, and Indian companies should take advantage of the opportunity.

He said India already has the strength in infrastructure, energy, capital and entrepreneurship. Instead of only increasing production, Indian companies should build their own global brands and open selling centres in major cities. Shah assured that the central government would provide the necessary support for this.

The state government has decided to allot a large plot and the required FSI in Navi Mumbai for the gems and jewellery industry. It was also stated that the government would do everything needed to ensure the industry does not move out of Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the proposed Gems and Jewellery Park in Navi Mumbai is expected to bring about Rs 1 lakh crore in investment and 50,000 jobs. He also said work on the park would begin from Dussehra.

Surat is a major centre for diamond cutting and polishing, and most diamonds cut and polished worldwide are processed there. India's gems and jewellery industry also plays a big role in the country's exports. Shah said India's gems and jewellery exports reached Rs 2,44,000 crore in 2025. The sector accounts for 6.3 percent of the country's total merchandise exports and provides direct or indirect employment to about 75 lakh people, he said.

Shah also said Indian industry should enter new markets by taking advantage of the free trade agreements India has signed with the European Union, the UAE, Australia, Oman and Britain.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke about the importance of the gems and jewellery industry to Maharashtra's economy. He said Maharashtra accounts for a large share of India's gems and jewellery exports, and the industry would become a major source of employment and investment going forward.

At the same event, entrepreneurs, exporters, manufacturers, women entrepreneurs and others who performed well across 27 categories of the industry were honoured under the India Gems and Jewellery Awards 2026.