Why in News India is hosting the Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting 2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, from May 11 to May 14, 2026. India has held the KP Chairship since 2026 (specifically since January 1, 2026) with Ghana as Vice-Chair (and Chair-designate for 2027). India’s chairmanship theme is the “3Cs” – Credibility, Compliance, Consumer Confidence. Implementation in India is led by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
What Is the Kimberley Process?
The Kimberley Process is a joint Government + industry + civil-society initiative to prevent the trade in conflict (or “blood”) diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance war against legitimate Governments. It is named after Kimberley, South Africa, where the founding meeting was held in May 2000.
Key Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2000 | KP launched at Kimberley, South Africa |
| 2001 | UN General Assembly Resolution 55/56 endorsed the KP |
| 2003 | KP Certification Scheme (KPCS) entered into force (January 1, 2003) |
| 2008 | India chaired KP |
| 2019 | India chaired KP again |
| 2026 | India chairs again; Ghana is Vice-Chair (Chair-designate for 2027) |
KPCS – the Certification Scheme
The KPCS is the operational instrument. Every shipment of rough diamonds between Participants must be:
- Accompanied by a forgery-resistant Kimberley Process Certificate
- Sealed in a tamper-proof container
- Traded only between KP Participants – non-Participants are barred
- Reported via annual statistics submissions
Participants
- KP has 60 Participants representing 86 countries (because the European Union is counted as a single Participant for its 27 member states)
- Plus two Observers: World Diamond Council (industry) and the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition
Major Producers
- Botswana, Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Angola, Australia, Canada, Namibia, Zimbabwe
India’s Position in the Global Diamond Trade
| Indicator | India’s share |
|---|---|
| Diamond cutting and polishing (by volume) | ~90 per cent |
| Diamond cutting and polishing (by value) | ~70-75 per cent |
| Principal cutting hub | Surat (Gujarat) – ~80 per cent of polished output |
| Trading hub | Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai (BKC) – among the world’s largest |
| Gems & Jewellery exports (FY 2024-25) | ~USD 32-35 billion |
| Share of India’s merchandise exports | ~8-9 per cent |
India produces almost no rough diamonds domestically – Panna (Madhya Pradesh) is the lone working mine. The Indian industry imports roughs and exports polished diamonds.
India’s “3Cs” Theme
Credibility
- Strengthen the auditing and traceability framework of the KPCS
- Tighten controls on alluvial production zones (Central African Republic, DRC) where rough is most vulnerable to diversion
- Address concerns about mixed parcels containing undocumented stones
Compliance
- Synchronise KP data with national customs records
- Improve the Working Group on Statistics, Monitoring and Diamond Experts outputs
- Build capacity in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) jurisdictions
Consumer Confidence
- Enable end-buyer certificate verification
- Distinguish natural diamonds from lab-grown diamonds (LGDs) – a separate but related industry issue
- Build a positive narrative for natural diamonds as conflict-free and ethically traceable
India’s Role at Mumbai 2026
Sessions
- Working Group on Monitoring – review country reports
- Working Group on Statistics – alignment of trade and production data
- Diamond Experts Working Group – technical compliance
- Plenary session – decisions for 2026 calendar
Bilateral Outreach
- India to engage African producers on direct sourcing
- Discussions on a possible Africa-India Diamond Trade Corridor
Industry Side
- GJEPC organises ancillary events for Indian exporters
- Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) showcases the integrated Indian value-chain
KP Limitations and Reform Debate
Limitations Often Cited
- Narrow scope: “Conflict diamond” is defined only as a rough diamond financing rebel movements – it does not cover State-sponsored violence, human-rights abuses, environmental damage, or laundering through neighbouring countries
- Russia-Ukraine dispute: Russian diamonds were not declared “conflict diamonds” within the KP definition; the G7 ban on Russian diamonds (2024) moved the issue outside KP
- Civil society pull-outs: The civil-society coalition has periodically withdrawn over reform-pace concerns
Reform Proposals
- Expand the definition to include human-rights and environmental dimensions
- Mandatory electronic KP certificates with QR-code verification
- Integration with the G7 traceability protocols for Russian-origin diamonds
India’s Chair year is expected to position itself as a bridge – preserving the KP framework while signalling openness to incremental reform.
GJEPC – Indian Implementation Partner
- Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council
- Set up in 1966 as an Export Promotion Council under the Ministry of Commerce
- Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; not statutory but industry-Government umbrella
- Conducts Indian rough diamond imports certification under KPCS
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 2 – International Relations, International Institutions
- Inter-governmental commodity-trade architectures
- India’s leadership in plurilateral processes
- Role of industry-Government-civil society “triadic” arrangements
GS Paper 3 – Indian Economy
- Gems and Jewellery sector; exports
- Surat-Mumbai value chain
Mains Angles
- Discuss the architecture of the Kimberley Process and the limitations cited by civil society. Is the “conflict diamond” definition fit for purpose?
- India’s chairmanship of the KP in 2026 offers an opportunity to bridge industry and human-rights concerns. Examine.
- Evaluate the rise of lab-grown diamonds and their implications for India’s natural-diamond cutting hubs.
Facts Corner – Knowledgepedia
Kimberley Process: Founded 2000 at Kimberley, South Africa; KPCS in force since January 1, 2003.
KP Participants: 60 Participants representing 86 countries (EU as one bloc); two Observers (industry – World Diamond Council; civil society – KP Civil Society Coalition).
Conflict Diamond: Defined in UN GA Resolution 55/56 (December 1, 2000) as a rough diamond used by rebel movements to finance war against legitimate Governments.
India’s KP Chairmanships: 2008, 2019, 2026.
GJEPC: Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council; sponsored by Ministry of Commerce and Industry; set up in 1966.
Surat: World’s largest diamond cutting and polishing hub; processes ~80 per cent of India’s polished diamond output.
Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB): Inaugurated November 2010 at Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai; the world’s largest diamond trading complex by floor area.
Major rough diamond producers: Botswana, Russia (Alrosa), DR Congo, South Africa (De Beers), Angola, Australia (Argyle – closed 2020), Canada (Diavik).
G7 ban on Russian diamonds: Effective March 2024 (1+ carat) and September 2024 (0.5+ carat); imposed via individual G7 customs codes; operates outside the KPCS framework.
India’s Diamond Imitation Jewellery Park: Surat International Exhibition and Convention Centre (SIECC) – a flagship project.
