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GJEPC Champions India-Saudi Gem & Jewellery Trade Collaboration through SAJEX 2025

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The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body of India’s gem and jewellery industry, is set to host the first-ever Saudi Arabia Jewellery Exposition (SAJEX 2025) from 11th to 13th September 2025 at the Jeddah Superdome.

This landmark event is supported by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah and the Embassy of India in Riyadh. SAJEX 2025 is Powered by IGI and supported by Saudi Invest, Jeddah Chamber, Makkah Chamber, The Jeddah Jewellery Association, Dubai Jewellery Group, and Gold Centre, with Arabian Horizon as the official destination management company.

Positioned as The World Gem & Jewellery Fair, the exposition will bring together 200+ exhibitors across 250 booths from India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Hong Kong, and Lebanon, and is expected to welcome more than 2,000 trade buyers. Exhibits will cover the entire jewellery spectrum including diamond and coloured gemstones, gold jewellery (18kt, 21kt, 22kt), platinum jewellery, lab-grown diamonds, prêt and bridal collections, gifting jewellery, and jewellery technology. Alongside the exhibition, curated knowledge sessions, networking forums, and design showcases will further drive industry growth and collaboration.

A major highlight will be the World Jewellery Investment Forum, jointly hosted by GJEPC and the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) on 11th September. The forum will bring together government leaders, global brands, investors, and industry experts to explore investment and growth opportunities across the jewellery value chain, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving market and its growing importance as a hub for trade and investment in the region.

Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, Consul General of India in Jeddah, said, “SAJEX 2025 goes beyond being an exhibition — it reflects the strengthening ties between India and Saudi Arabia. Combining India’s rich tradition of jewellery craftsmanship with Saudi Arabia’s expanding role in the global luxury market, this event creates a unique platform for industry players to connect, collaborate, and grow together. The Consulate takes great pride in supporting this initiative, which highlights the growing economic partnership and shared vision for innovation and opportunity in the jewellery sector.”

Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, said, “The jewellery market in Saudi Arabia is expanding at a remarkable pace, with estimates suggesting it will reach USD 8.34 billion by 2030. As the Gulf’s largest economy, with a GDP of USD 1.1 trillion, Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a key player in the global luxury and retail landscape. SAJEX represents a significant step towards deepening India-Saudi collaboration, creating new opportunities for trade, innovation, and industry leadership, while strengthening ties and unlocking the full potential of the jewellery sector in the region and beyond.”

Kirit bhansali

Saudi Arabia, the Gulf’s largest economy with a GDP of USD 1.1 trillion, is witnessing rapid growth in jewellery demand, projected to nearly double from USD 4.56 billion in 2024 to USD 8.34 billion by 2030. Rising appetite for 18K and 21K plain gold jewellery, diamond-studded pieces, and premium design-led products makes the Kingdom an important destination for Indian exporters.

With exports of USD 28.7 billion in FY 2024–25, India remains the world’s leading supplier of gems and jewellery. Through SAJEX, GJEPC aims to establish a dedicated B2B platform in Saudi Arabia, strengthening bilateral trade, fostering cultural exchange, and positioning Indian craftsmanship at the heart of the Kingdom’s evolving luxury market.

The strong response to SAJEX was already evident during its curtain-raiser events in Jeddah and Riyadh in July 2025, which brought together over 280 Saudi stakeholders, including leading retailers and wholesalers. Building on this momentum, SAJEX 2025 seeks to further align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, reinforcing India–Saudi trade collaboration and expanding India’s global jewellery footprint.

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Outstanding gold-backed loans  surge by  128% from a year earlier

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India’s appetite for borrowing against gold is reshaping the country’s credit landscape. Outstanding gold-backed loans have surged 128% from a year earlier, crossing Rs.4 lakh crore ($48 billion) for the first time, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India. As of Jan. 31, loans secured by gold jewellery stood at Rs.4,00,517 crore, marking one of the fastest expansions in retail credit in recent years.

The boom in gold loans has helped propel overall non-food bank credit growth to 14.4% year-on-year. Personal loans now account for 34.5% of total bank lending, outpacing other segments and underscoring a broader shift toward consumer-driven credit expansion

Gold loans alone contributed roughly 9% of incremental bank credit during the period. Between January 2024 and January 2026, outstanding gold-backed credit rose by nearly Rs.3.1 lakh crore—an increase of about 338% over two years—more than quadrupling the size of the portfolio.

Two factors are driving the surge. First, gold prices have climbed roughly 152% over the past two years, increasing the collateral value of household holdings. Second, regulatory guidance requiring banks to classify loans secured by gold explicitly as gold loans has sharpened reporting and accelerated balance-sheet growth in the segment.

The trend highlights a distinctive feature of India’s financial system: households’ vast stock of physical gold, long viewed primarily as a store of wealth, is increasingly being mobilized as collateral for formal credit.

While personal lending and credit to nonbank financial companies within the services sector continue to expand rapidly, industrial credit remains uneven. Loans to micro, small and medium enterprises are growing steadily, but borrowing by large corporations has stayed relatively muted.

Since March 21, 2025, banks have added Rs.21.8 lakh crore to their non-food loan books, translating into 12% growth for the financial year to date. Yet it is gold—rather than factories or infrastructure—that is emerging as one of the most dynamic engines of India’s current credit cycle.

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