GJEPC Joins Natural Diamond Council
June 02, 26
(IDEX Online) - India's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has become the first industry body to join the Natural Diamond Council (NDC).
It signals a strategic shift toward tighter global coordination in the natural diamond industry by the country that boasts a near-monopoly on cutting and polishing.
GJEPC announced its intention to join the NDC in February 2026, once agreement was reached over its financial contribution.
The council, representing around 7,000 exporters, signed up to the Luanda Accord last June, alongside diamond producers Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and DRC.
They jointly pledged to donate 1 per cent of rough revenue to fund a global NDC campaign to market natural diamonds.
Amber Pepper, CEO of the NDC, said: "We are thrilled to welcome GJEPC as a Member of the NDC, marking an exciting new chapter in our longstanding partnership.
Kirit Bhansali, GJEPC chairman, said: "As a new generation of modern consumers emerges, it is increasingly important that we continue to engage them through meaningful storytelling, inspiration, and education.
"This shared vision is what led us to become Members of the NDC and to contribute both strategically and financially to its long-term mission and growth."
File pic shows Amber Pepper, CEO of NDC, and Shaunak Parikh, vice chairman of GJEPC in Cape Town during the African Mining Indaba 2026.