The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is India's foremost trade organisation for the gems and jewellery sector, established in 1966 under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Mandated to promote the export of cut and polished diamonds, coloured gemstones, plain and studded gold jewellery, silver jewellery, and allied products, the Council functions as both a promotional body and a policy interlocutor between the industry and the Indian government. With a membership base exceeding 7,000 registered companies — ranging from large integrated manufacturers to small artisan workshops — GJEPC is one of the most influential trade councils in the global jewellery industry, and a significant voice in international forums concerned with gemstone standards, responsible sourcing, and trade facilitation.

Historical Background

India's gems and jewellery export sector was, by the mid-twentieth century, already substantial in volume but fragmented in organisation. The establishment of GJEPC in 1966 was intended to consolidate promotional efforts, provide exporters with market intelligence, and represent the sector's interests in trade negotiations. The timing coincided with India's broader post-independence drive to develop export-oriented industries, and the gems and jewellery sector was identified as one capable of generating significant foreign exchange earnings with relatively modest capital intensity.

Over the following decades, GJEPC's remit expanded considerably. The liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991 opened new avenues for foreign collaboration, technology transfer, and direct participation in international trade fairs. The Council adapted accordingly, establishing regional offices, launching dedicated training programmes, and deepening its engagement with overseas markets in the United States, Europe, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Japan, and, more recently, China and South-East Asia.

Structure and Membership

GJEPC is headquartered in Mumbai, India's commercial capital and the historic centre of the country's diamond-cutting and jewellery-manufacturing industries. Regional offices operate in key industry centres including Surat (the world's dominant centre for diamond polishing), Jaipur (renowned for coloured gemstone cutting and treatment, as well as kundan and meenakari jewellery), Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. This geographic spread reflects the diversity of India's gems and jewellery sector, which encompasses distinct regional specialisations in craftsmanship, materials, and export markets.

Membership is open to exporters registered with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and encompasses manufacturers, exporters, traders, and service providers across the full spectrum of the sector. The Council is governed by an elected committee of members and maintains standing sub-committees on matters including standards, skill development, taxation, and international trade policy.

Trade Promotion and International Exhibitions

Among GJEPC's most visible activities is the organisation of international trade exhibitions. The India International Jewellery Show (IIJS), held annually in Mumbai, is one of Asia's largest jewellery trade fairs and serves as a primary platform for Indian manufacturers to engage with international buyers. A companion event, the IIJS Premiere, focuses on the higher-value segment of the market. GJEPC also organises the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW), which addresses the fashion and lifestyle dimension of jewellery, and participates in major international trade fairs including the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair and Inhorgenta Munich, where it coordinates Indian pavilions and facilitates buyer-seller meetings.

Beyond exhibitions, the Council undertakes buyer-seller meets in target markets, supports participation in overseas trade missions, and publishes market research and trade statistics that are widely referenced by industry participants and analysts.

Standards, Quality, and Regulatory Engagement

GJEPC plays an active role in the development and promotion of quality standards for the Indian gems and jewellery sector. It collaborates with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India's national standards body, on the formulation and implementation of standards relating to hallmarking of precious metals, gemstone grading terminology, and jewellery manufacturing practices. BIS hallmarking of gold jewellery, which became mandatory in India for certain categories from 2021, was a policy outcome in which GJEPC's advocacy and preparatory work over many years was instrumental.

At the international level, GJEPC maintains engagement with CIBJO (the World Jewellery Confederation), the Geneva-based organisation that publishes the Blue Books — the internationally recognised reference standards for diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, precious metals, and gemmological laboratories. India's alignment with CIBJO nomenclature and disclosure requirements is a matter of ongoing importance given the country's central position in the global supply chain: the vast majority of the world's rough diamonds pass through Surat for cutting and polishing, and Jaipur is among the world's most significant centres for the treatment and re-cutting of coloured gemstones.

GJEPC has also engaged with responsible sourcing frameworks, including the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for conflict diamonds, in which India participates as a major processing nation. The Council has supported industry initiatives on traceability and ethical sourcing as these have gained prominence with international retail buyers and consumers.

Skill Development and Education

Recognising that the competitiveness of India's gems and jewellery sector rests substantially on the skills of its artisan workforce, GJEPC has invested significantly in training and education. The Council operates the GJEPC Institute of Gems & Jewellery (formerly known as the Institute of Gems & Jewellery), which offers programmes in jewellery design, gemstone grading, diamond grading, and jewellery manufacturing technology. These programmes are offered at campuses in Mumbai, Jaipur, Surat, and other centres, and are designed to align with both domestic industry requirements and international gemmological standards.

GJEPC has also collaborated with the Gems & Jewellery Skill Council of India (GJSCI) under the National Skill Development Mission to formalise occupational standards and certification pathways for the sector's large informal workforce.

Significance in the Global Coloured-Gemstone Supply Chain

For the international coloured-gemstone trade, GJEPC's significance extends beyond its domestic mandate. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is one of the world's principal hubs for the cutting, treatment, and trading of coloured gemstones sourced from across Africa, South and South-East Asia, and Latin America. Rubies from Mozambique, sapphires from Madagascar and Sri Lanka, emeralds from Zambia and Colombia, and a wide range of lesser-known species pass through Jaipur's workshops before entering the global retail supply chain. GJEPC's advocacy on import and export duties, its engagement with overseas mining-country governments, and its promotion of Indian craftsmanship in coloured stones all bear directly on how these materials reach international markets.

The Council's annual export statistics, disaggregated by product category and destination market, constitute one of the more reliable publicly available datasets on Indian gems and jewellery trade flows, and are cited by industry analysts, gemmological researchers, and policy-makers.

Further Reading

• GJEPC Official Website — gjepc.org
• CIBJO — The World Jewellery Confederation — cibjo.org
• Bureau of Indian Standards — bis.gov.in