JB Insights
GJEPC’s 51st India Gem & Jewellery Awards held in Jaipur
Presiding Guest Gautam Adani says technology & sustainability are twin pillars of our future
Shri 24 awards presented at IGJA 2023-24
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) presented the coveted 51st India Gem & Jewellery Awards (IGJA) held in Jaipur, honouring the leading exporters of the gems & jewellery industry. GJEPC presented a total of 24 IGJ Awards: 14 – Industry Performance Awards; 7- Special Recognition Awards; 2 – Felicitation Awards; and 1- Bank supporting the Gems & Jewellery Industry Awards. Pramod Agrawal (Chairman, Derewala Industries Ltd) wins the Lifetime Achievement Award
Business tycoon Shri Gautam Adani (Chairman, Adani Group) graced GJEPC’s 51st edition of the IGJ Awards as Presiding Guest. Representing GJEPC were Shri Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Nirmal Bardiya, Regional Chairman, Rajasthan, GJEPC; Shri Sabyasachi Ray, ED, GJEPC, and Shri Sachin Jain, Regional CEO – India, World Gold Council and Shri Gopal Kumar, Director and General Manager, Gemfields India Pvt. Ltd was also present along with the who’s who and doyens of India’s gem & jewellery industry.
While addressing a packed hall of diamond, gem and jewellery trade, Shri Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, said, “Technology and sustainability are the twin pillars of our future. As we embrace the digital age, let’s ensure our growth is both innovative and responsible. Empowering and uplifting our skilled artisans and craftsmen with digital tools will propel our jewellery heritage to new heights. Ultimately, our youth are the architects of tomorrow. Let’s nurture their potential, and create an India that shines brightly on the world stage.”
Adani further added, “Innovation and sustainability are not just trends but the foundation for the future of the gem and jewellery industry. From advanced manufacturing techniques to smart wearables, technology is revolutionizing the jewellery industry, offering endless opportunities for customisation and connection. The gem and jewellery industry must embrace change, challenge the status quo, and adapt to evolving consumer needs to remain a global leader.”
Shri Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC addressing the audience said, “Think big, innovate relentlessly, and embrace technology—the future of India’s gem and jewellery industry is brighter than ever. With robust retail growth, projects like the India Jewellery Park in Mumbai, Jaipur’s Gem Bourse, and the Bharat Ratnam Mega CFC are transforming the landscape. Supported by visionary government policies and FTAs, our industry is poised to scale new heights. Together, we can position India as a global leader in gems and jewellery, setting benchmarks for innovation, excellence, and sustainability.”
The selection criteria this year included export performance, value addition, employment generation and investment in R&D among other parameters. In recognition of the business excellence demonstrated by companies that are helping to strengthen ‘Brand India’, GJEPC not only felicitate industry players for their exemplary performance, but also recognizes entities such as banks which play a key role in the growth of the sector.
IGJA has evolved over the years to embrace new categories, including social responsibility, innovation, and entrepreneurship, reflecting the dynamic nature of our industry.
JB Insights
Gold Loans Fuel MSME Expansion
Industry Seminar Focuses On E-Commerce Growth, Logistics Solutions and Global Shipping Opportunities For The Gem and Jewellery Sector
Across India, gold loans are rapidly shifting from purely personal-finance products into a go-to source of working capital and business-expansion funding for MSMEs, with non-bank lenders such as Muthoot Finance playing a central role in this transition. Record-high gold prices and easier documentation, combined with short-term tenures and relatively quick disbursal, are making gold-loan collateral attractive for small manufacturers, traders, and services-sector entrepreneurs who struggle to access traditional bank credit.
Gold loans have become a key contributor to India’s consumption-loan growth, with originations surging amid slowing personal-loan and credit-card growth and elevated gold prices improving collateral coverage.
Rating agencies and brokers note that high gold prices not only allow larger loans against the same jewellery but also help maintain asset quality, as borrowers are more incentivised to repay rather than forfeit precious metal.
Why MSMEs are turning to gold loans
- Many MSME borrowers use family-held gold as collateral to finance working-capital gaps, inventory purchases, machinery upgrades, or local-market expansion, especially where cash-flow cycles are irregular or credit history is thin.
- Gold loans typically offer lower interest and faster processing than unsecured personal loans or credit cards, and the presence of a tangible asset (gold) makes lenders more comfortable with shorter-tenor, higher-ticket loans.
Role of organised lenders like Muthoot Finance
- Muthoot Finance and other large NBFCs explicitly position gold loans as flexible, short-term credit for “business-related” needs, including trade, small-scale manufacturing, and micro-retail, and have reported that a significant share of new disbursements go to self-employed professionals and small business-owners.
- Digital-first interfaces, branch-network expansion into semi-urban and Tier-2/3 towns, and features such as missed-call status checks and mobile-based payment reminders help MSME-type borrowers manage repayments without frequent visits to branches.
Regulatory and risk-management angle
- Regulators and rating agencies note that channeling gold-loan funds toward productive MSME activity can improve asset quality, as business cash flows often support repayment better than purely consumption-driven loans.
- At the same time, tighter supervision on re-pledging and stricter documentation—from April 2026 onward—are pushing MSME borrowers toward organised players, reducing reliance on informal pawn-shop-style lending and improving transparency in SME-oriented gold-loan portfolios.
Market-level impact
- With the organised gold-loan market expected to breach ₹15 lakh crore by March 2026, MSME-oriented lending is emerging as one of the key growth segments, particularly for NBFCs that combine branch-level trust with digital ease.
- This trend is encouraging gold-loan houses to design quasi-MSME packages—such as higher ticket-sizes, flexible moratoriums around festival seasons, and payment-tracking tools—while keeping the underlying product clearly tagged as a secured gold-loan.
Precious Metals Mixed As US Halts Iran Strike
CaratLane Partners With Ashlesha Thakur To Spotlight Natural Diamond Jewellery
Gold Loans Fuel MSME Expansion
Precious Metals Mixed As US Halts Iran Strike
CaratLane Partners With Ashlesha Thakur To Spotlight Natural Diamond Jewellery
Gold and Silver Under Pressure: Inflation Shock, Fed Repricing, and Critical Support Zones AUGMONT BULLION REPORT
-
International News1 hour agoPrecious Metals Mixed As US Halts Iran Strike
-
GlamBuzz3 hours agoCaratLane Partners With Ashlesha Thakur To Spotlight Natural Diamond Jewellery
-
International News23 hours agoGold and Silver Under Pressure: Inflation Shock, Fed Repricing, and Critical Support Zones AUGMONT BULLION REPORT
-
JB Insights23 hours agoGold Loans Fuel MSME Expansion
JewelBuzz is Asia’s First Digital Jewellery Media & India’s No.1 B2B Jewellery Magazine, published by AM Media House. Since 2016, we’ve been the trusted source for jewellery news, market trends, trade insights, exhibitions, podcasts, and brand stories, connecting jewellers, retailers, and industry professionals worldwide.