India Leads Global Push for Ethical Diamond Trade: Kimberley Process 2026 Intersessional Meeting Opens

“The Kimberley Process has played an important role in supporting peace, protecting livelihoods and strengthening legitimate diamond trade across producing nations,” Shri Misra said.

India on Monday reinforced its growing leadership in the global natural diamond industry as the Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting 2026 commenced in Mumbai under India's chairship, bringing together governments, industry leaders and civil society representatives from across the world to deliberate on the future of ethical and conflict-free diamond trade.

The high-level international meeting, being held from May 11 to May 14, 2026, has assembled representatives from Kimberley Process Participants, Observers, industry organisations and global stakeholders to discuss key issues concerning transparency, compliance, sustainability and consumer trust in the international natural diamond value chain.

The gathering comes at a crucial time for the global diamond industry, which is facing increasing scrutiny over ethical sourcing, traceability, sustainability and consumer confidence amid evolving market dynamics and rising competition from synthetic diamonds.

India Positions Natural Diamonds as Sustainable and Ethical Luxury Product

Addressing delegates at the opening session, Kimberley Process Chair 2026 Shri Suchindra Misra highlighted the critical role played by the Kimberley Process in promoting peace, protecting livelihoods and strengthening legitimate diamond trade across producing nations.

He stressed that the certification framework has become one of the world's most progressive international trade governance systems aimed at preventing conflict diamonds from entering legal supply chains.

"The Kimberley Process has played an important role in supporting peace, protecting livelihoods and strengthening legitimate diamond trade across producing nations," Shri Misra said.

He emphasized the need to further strengthen global trust in the system, improve cooperation among member participants and ensure that the Kimberley Process remains relevant and effective in a rapidly changing global environment.

Importantly, Shri Misra also highlighted the sustainability dimension of natural diamonds, stating that responsibly sourced natural diamonds continue to represent a sustainable luxury product backed by transparent certification systems and accountable sourcing mechanisms.

Global Discussions to Focus on Compliance, Traceability and Consumer Trust

Over the next four days, the Intersessional Meeting will host extensive discussions through multiple Working Groups and Committees focusing on strengthening the operational and regulatory framework of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).

Key agenda items include:

• Implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme

• Monitoring and compliance mechanisms

• Artisanal and alluvial diamond production

• Global diamond trade statistics

• Supply chain transparency

• Measures to strengthen trust in natural diamonds

• Consumer confidence in ethically sourced stones

The deliberations are expected to play a major role in shaping future international approaches toward responsible sourcing and sustainability within the diamond industry.

Industry observers note that consumer demand for ethically sourced and transparently certified diamonds has increased sharply in recent years, especially in key luxury markets such as the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

India's Chairship Focuses on "3Cs" Strategy

India's Chairship theme for Kimberley Process 2026 revolves around the "3Cs":

• Credibility

• Compliance

• Consumer Confidence

The framework aims to strengthen the long-term future of responsibly sourced natural diamonds through constructive international dialogue, stronger compliance systems and enhanced collaboration among governments, industry and civil society stakeholders.

Officials say India is seeking to position the Kimberley Process not only as a conflict-prevention mechanism but also as a broader trust-building framework for the global natural diamond industry.

India's Strategic Importance in Global Diamond Industry

India's leadership of the Kimberley Process comes amid its dominant position in the international diamond trade ecosystem.

As one of the world's largest centres for diamond cutting and polishing, India processes a significant proportion of the world's natural diamonds and plays a crucial role in the global gemstone supply chain.

Industry estimates suggest that India handles nearly 90 percent of the world's rough diamonds by volume through its extensive cutting and polishing infrastructure, particularly centred around Surat in Gujarat, which is regarded as one of the world's largest diamond processing hubs.

India assumed the Chairship of the Kimberley Process on January 1, 2026, reaffirming its commitment to:

• Responsible sourcing

• Supply chain transparency

• Ethical trade practices

• Sustainability in diamond processing

• International regulatory cooperation

The government views the chairship as an opportunity to further strengthen India's global standing as a trusted leader in the natural diamond ecosystem.

Kimberley Process Remains Key Global Anti-Conflict Diamond Mechanism

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was established following the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 55/56 adopted in 2000 to prevent conflict diamonds—also known as "blood diamonds"—from entering legitimate global trade networks.

Conflict diamonds have historically been linked to financing armed insurgencies, civil wars and violence in certain diamond-producing regions, particularly in parts of Africa during the 1990s and early 2000s.

The Kimberley Process created an international certification framework requiring participating countries to certify that rough diamond shipments are conflict-free before entering global markets.

Today, the Kimberley Process includes:

• 60 Participants

• Representing 86 countries

• The European Union and its member states participating as a single bloc

The system is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive international commodity certification mechanisms in operation.

Industry, Civil Society and Governments Unite in Mumbai

The Mumbai meeting has brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including:

• Officials from the Department of Commerce, Government of India

• Representatives from Kimberley Process member countries

• Members of the World Diamond Council

• Civil Society Coalition representatives

• Industry stakeholders and trade experts

The presence of civil society organisations is considered particularly important as global debates continue over expanding transparency standards, improving compliance monitoring and enhancing social accountability within the diamond trade.

Ethical Sourcing Becoming Critical for Global Luxury Markets

Analysts say the Kimberley Process discussions are taking place amid changing consumer behaviour and growing demand for sustainability-focused luxury products.

Global jewellery consumers, particularly younger buyers, are increasingly seeking assurances regarding:

• Ethical sourcing

• Environmental sustainability

• Traceability

• Human rights compliance

• Responsible mining practices

This shift has intensified pressure on the natural diamond industry to strengthen certification systems and communicate greater transparency across the supply chain.

The Mumbai meeting is therefore expected to contribute significantly to future policy direction on maintaining trust and credibility in the natural diamond sector.

India Aims to Strengthen Global Confidence in Natural Diamonds

Officials said India's chairship seeks to build broader international consensus around preserving the integrity and long-term sustainability of the natural diamond trade.

By positioning the Kimberley Process around the principles of credibility, compliance and consumer confidence, India aims to strengthen global trust in responsibly sourced natural diamonds while ensuring the industry continues to support livelihoods, economic development and peace in producing regions.

The outcomes of the Mumbai deliberations are expected to shape future global cooperation frameworks for ethical diamond trade and reinforce international efforts to keep conflict diamonds out of legitimate supply chains.