National News

Exporters can now hand-carry jewellery as GJEPC Initiated Facilitation Centre Opens at Mumbai Airport

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2025

The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), in collaboration with Mumbai Customs, formally inaugurated the Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Terminal 2, on 16th July 2025. The facilitation centre was inaugurated by Surjit Bhujbal, Member Customs, CBIC, in the presence of Prachi Saroop, Principal Chief Commissioner, Alok Jha, Principal Commissioner and other Customs officials. Also present were Dnyaneshwar Patil, Development Commissioner, SEEPZ , and the leadership team of GJEPC, including Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, Khushboo Ranawat, Regional Chairman (West), Ajesh Mehta, Convener, Diamond Panel, Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, Mehul Shah, Vice President, BDB.

The launch of the Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Airport has been the result of GJEPC’s persistent advocacy and groundwork. Recognising the immense potential of hand carriage for boosting gem and jewellery exports—especially from Mumbai, which typically accounts for nearly 65–70% of the country’s exports—GJEPC proactively engaged with the Government. Anticipating future clearance, the Council went a step ahead by securing a dedicated space at the Mumbai airport on a rental basis and fully equipping it in advance. With the premises now notified as a Customs area with Bharat Diamond Bourse appointed as a custodian, the Centre is fully operational—ready to facilitate round-the-clock hand carriage exports. This initiative is a testament to GJEPC’s vision, planning, and continuous coordination with government agencies to strengthen export infrastructure. Based on this initiative all types of exports and imports of jewellery through hand-carriage mode can now take place from Mumbai Airport.

In FY 2024-25, gem and jewellery exports from the Western Region (Mumbai Port) totalled US$ 19,653.24 million, accounting for approximately 68% of India’s total gross gem and jewellery exports during the year.

The new dedicated facility is aimed at streamlining export procedures for high-value gem and jewellery shipments carried by hand, bringing greater transparency, faster clearance, and enhanced ease of doing business for exporters.

Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, commented, “The inauguration of the Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Airport is a milestone in our ongoing efforts to boost ease of doing business for exporter members. Alongside the e-commerce export channel, hand carriage will prove especially beneficial for MSMEs and high-value shipments, especially to FTA partner nations such as UAE under CEPA, Australia under ECTA and UK FTA. It offers a faster, cost-effective, and more agile way to service international orders. We thank Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, Mumbai Customs, Bharat Diamond Bourse and Mumbai Airport International Airport Ltd. for their constant support to achieve the unique milestone.”

Dnyaneshwar B. Patil, IAS, Development Commissioner, SEEPZ-SEZ who was present at the occasion express “The inauguration of the Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Mumbai Airport is a timely and impactful initiative that will greatly benefit SEEPZ-based exporters. With SEEPZ contributing a significant share (around 13%) to India’s gem and jewellery exports, the availability of a dedicated hand carriage facility just minutes away will enable faster clearances, reduce logistical hurdles, and provide greater flexibility for companies handling high-value, urgent shipments. I commend GJEPC and Mumbai Customs for their collaborative efforts in enhancing the export ecosystem and making it more responsive to industry needs.”

With nearly two-thirds of India’s gem and jewellery exports routed through Mumbai, the centre marks a major milestone in export infrastructure. The new facilitation centre will serve as a single-window facility supported by Mumbai Customs, CISF, police, and airport authorities.

Personal carriage of gem and jewellery is permitted through select airports as specified in the Foreign Trade Policy. For exports, the facility is allowed at nine locations: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. For imports, personal carriage is permitted at seven locations: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. At present, the personal hand carriage facility is operational in Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Delhi.

The Council noted that this initiative is part of a broader rollout across nine key centres in India, designed to strengthen infrastructure for the gem and jewellery export sector.

Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC, noted, “The launch of the Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre for gems and jewellery at Mumbai Airport is a long-awaited step that will unlock immense value for Indian exporters. It brings speed, safety, and flexibility—crucial elements for high-value gem and jewellery exports. This initiative will especially benefit MSMEs and empower them to meet urgent global demand efficiently. We thank Mumbai Customs and all stakeholders for making this vision a reality.”

This initiative reflects GJEPC’s ongoing commitment to strengthening export infrastructure and aligning with the Government’s vision of ease of doing business. By enabling faster, more secure, and cost-effective shipments, the Council is paving the way for India to reinforce its position as a global hub for gem and jewellery exports.

National News

June Marked A Strong Rebound In India’s Gem and Jewellery Exports, Surging 26.51% Year-On-Year On Robust Demand Across Key Products and Global Markets

Published

20 hours ago

July 22, 2026

JewelBuzz Spread The Buzz

India’s gem and jewellery exports recorded a strong recovery in June 2026, with gross exports rising 26.51% year-on-year to US$ 2.21 billion (Rs. 21,010.78 crore) compared to US$ 1.75 billion (Rs. 15,023.07 crore) in June 2025. The robust monthly performance was driven by healthy demand for gold jewellery, cut and polished diamonds, silver jewellery and platinum jewellery, lab-grown diamonds across key international markets.

For the April–June 2026 period, India’s overall gross gem and jewellery exports remained stable at US$ 6.61 billion (Rs. 62,588.61 crore), registering a marginal 0.04% growth in US Dollar terms and a 10.76% increase in Rupee terms over the corresponding period last year, demonstrating the sector’s resilience amid continued global economic uncertainties and elevated precious metal prices.

Commenting on the export performance, Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said,

“The strong rebound in June exports reflects the resilience of India’s gem and jewellery sector amid an evolving global trade environment. While exports during the April–June quarter remained broadly stable, the sharp recovery in June is an encouraging sign for the months ahead. Continued demand from key markets, market diversification, and the benefits of recently concluded trade agreements such as the India–UK CETA are expected to further strengthen export growth. GJEPC will continue to work closely with the Government and industry stakeholders to enhance India’s global competitiveness and unlock new export opportunities.”

“The strong rebound in jewellery exports in June 2026 was supported by a significant correction in international gold prices. Gold prices declined by 10.28% month-on-month, falling from US$ 4,723.88 per troy ounce in May 2026 to US$ 4,238.32 per troy ounce in June 2026. The decline in bullion prices lowered raw material costs, enabling Indian exporters to offer more competitive prices in global markets. This improved price competitiveness, coupled with stronger demand in key overseas markets, boosted export volumes and strengthened buyer sentiment. Additionally, the successful participation of Indian exporters in major jewellery exhibitions in Kuwait and Sharjah further supported export orders and contributed to the strong recovery in June exports. However, the problems in availability of gold to exporters continue due to a technical regulatory issue of GST applicability at the import level by the Nominated Agencies notified by RBI. Council is working with the Govt to resolve this issue.”

June 2026: Product-wise Export Performance

Gold Jewellery (Plain & Studded) exports surged 54.50% year-on-year to US$ 1,087.74 million (Rs. 10,330.51 crore).
Plain Gold Jewellery exports grew 25.34% year-on-year to US$ 453.76 million (Rs. 4,311.43 crore). The growth was driven by strong demand from the UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the UK.
Studded Gold Jewellery exports surged 85.35% to US$ 633.97 million (Rs. 6,019.08 crore), with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the UK emerging as the key export markets.
Cut & Polished Diamonds exports increased 8.71% to US$ 846.73 million (Rs. 8,039.30 crore), supported by healthy demand from the UAE, Hong Kong, Belgium, Canada, and the USA.
Silver Jewellery exports declined 23.98% to US$ 58.77 million (Rs. 557.52 crore) in June 2026.
Platinum Jewellery exports grew 34.77% to US$ 17.44 million (Rs. 165.55 crore), with the USA, UK, UAE, Germany, and Hong Kong being the principal export markets.
Polished Lab-Grown Diamonds exports recorded a robust 52.25% growth to US$ 101.35 million (Rs. 961.92 crore), driven by strong demand from Hong Kong, the UAE, Thailand, Canada, and the USA.
Coloured Gemstones exports declined 23.63% to US$ 26.26 million (Rs. 249.63 crore).

April–June 2026: Product-wise Export Performance

Gold Jewellery (Plain & Studded) exports stood at US$ 2.78 billion (Rs. 26,357.04 crore) during April–June 2026, registering a 2.35% decline compared with US$ 2.85 billion (Rs. 24,372.70 crore) in the corresponding period last year.
Plain Gold Jewellery exports declined 23.30% to US$ 1.13 billion (Rs. 10,704.54 crore) during April–June 2026, compared to US$ 1.47 billion (Rs. 12,611.39 crore) in the corresponding period last year.
Studded Gold Jewellery exports grew 20.10% to US$ 1.65 billion (Rs. 15,652.50 crore) from US$ 1.38 billion (Rs. 11,761.31 crore) in April–June 2025.
Cut & Polished Diamonds exports declined 4.13% to US$ 2.72 billion (Rs. 25,773.90 crore) compared to US$ 2.84 billion (Rs. 24,271.10 crore) in the corresponding period last year.
Silver Jewellery exports nearly doubled, rising 97.78% to US$ 431.30 million (Rs. 4,060.27 crore) from US$ 218.07 million (Rs. 1,865.38 crore) in April–June 2025.
Platinum Jewellery exports increased 27.66% to US$ 58.67 million (Rs. 554.81 crore) from US$ 45.96 million (Rs. 393.23 crore) during the corresponding period last year.
Polished Lab-Grown Diamonds exports increased 14.92% to US$ 296.24 million (Rs. 2,805.39 crore) from US$ 257.77 million (Rs. 2,204.84 crore) during the same period last year.
Coloured Gemstones exports declined 15% to US$ 82.25 million (Rs. 778.57 crore) compared to US$ 96.76 million (Rs. 826.93 crore) in April–June 2025.