The Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), supported by the Indian Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has called upon the diamond industry to cease importing rough diamonds. GJEPC primarily serves as the apex body for India’s gem and jewelry sector, promoting its products in international markets and assisting with export endeavors. Additionally, GJEPC conducts joint ventures at global jewelry exhibitions, facilitates collaborations in diamond and gemstone supply, administers the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme to curb conflict diamonds, and plays a crucial role in addressing export-related matters. Rough diamonds are uncut and unpolished gemstones in their natural state.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Kimberley Process (KP): The Kimberley Process is a multilateral trade regime established in 2003 to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds. It employs the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) to ensure that rough diamonds are “conflict-free” by implementing safeguards on their shipment. Conflict diamonds are those used to fund insurgencies against governments globally.
- Conflict Diamonds: Conflict diamonds, also known as blood diamonds, are rough diamonds used to finance armed conflicts against governments. The trade of conflict diamonds has been a focus of international efforts to prevent human rights abuses and violence associated with their extraction and sale.
- Rough Diamonds: Rough diamonds are natural gemstones in their uncut and unpolished state, as they are mined from the earth. These diamonds undergo cutting and polishing processes to become the dazzling gems used in jewelry.
- World Diamond Council: The World Diamond Council is an industry organization that collaborates with governments, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to support the Kimberley Process and ensure the ethical sourcing of diamonds, with a focus on preventing the trade of conflict diamonds.
- GJEPC’s Image-Building Initiatives: The GJEPC engages in image-building exercises through international advertisements, publications, and audio-visual materials to enhance the reputation of India’s gem and jewelry industry globally, thus boosting exports and promoting Indian craftsmanship.
