News
India Sets the Global Jewellery Calendar with Grand Opening of IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026
- IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 to expected to generate Inr. 75,000 crore in orders
over the next three months - Industry on Track for USD 100 Billion Exports by 2047, Aligned with PM’s
Vision of Viksit Bharat: GJEPC Chairman - IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 features 1,600+ exhibitors and 3,300+ stalls across
1.25 lakh sq. m. at two premier Mumbai venues. 25,000+ trade buyers, including 1,400 international buyers from 40 countries and 12 international buyer delegations.
India today reaffirmed its position at the centre of the global gems and jewellery trade as the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) inaugurated the 18th edition of IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC), Mumbai—formally opening the global jewellery business calendar for the year.
Widely regarded as the first and most influential B2B jewellery trade fair of the year, IIJS
Bharat – Signature 2026 brings together the entire global value chain at a time when
market sentiment, sourcing strategies, and business direction for the year ahead begin
to take shape.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Sandrine Conseiller, CEO, De
Beers Brands and Chair, Natural Diamond Council, and Guests of Honour Harsha
Bangari, Managing Director, EXIM Bank and Saumen Bhaumik, Managing Director,
CaratLane.
The inauguration took place in the presence of Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC;
Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman & Convener, National Exhibitions, GJEPC; and
Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, along with members of the Committee of
Administration, exhibitors, buyers, and leading stakeholders from across the global gem
and jewellery industry.
IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 is being held at two premier venues in Mumbai—Jio
World Convention Centre (8–11 January 2026) and Bombay Exhibition Centre,
NESCO, Goregaon (9–12 January 2026)—alongside IGJME Bharat – Signature
2026, the machinery and technology showcase.
Spanning over 1.25 lakh square metres, the exhibition brings together 1,600+
exhibitors across 3,300+ stalls, welcoming over 25,000 trade buyers from 800+
Indian cities, including 1,400 international buyers from 40 countries and 12
international buyer delegations. The show offers a comprehensive sourcing platform
across gold, diamond, silver and studded jewellery, loose natural diamonds, coloured
gemstones, couture and fine jewellery, lab-grown diamonds, and machinery and allied
segments.
The Chief Guest, Sandrine Conseiller, CEO, De Beers, inaugurated the show and highlighted, “there is no better place to talk about the future of jewellery than India. From being the birthplace of the world’s diamond story to emerging as one of the fastest-growing markets today, India continues to be a pillar of stability and opportunity for the global gems and jewellery industry. Platforms like IIJS Signature play a critical role in strengthening trust, partnerships and confidence across the ecosystem, while
reinforcing India’s position at the heart of the global jewellery trade.”
Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, said, “As the year’s first major international showcase, IIJS Bharat – Signature embodies the Indian gem and jewellery industry’s confidence, resilience, and global readiness. India stands at the nexus of trust, transparency, and opportunity—with IIJS bringing this story to life.”
“In 2026, India steps boldly onto the world stage, assuming the Kimberley Process
Chairmanship for the third time—a resounding vote of confidence in our leadership,
credibility, and dedication to ethical trade. Poised to achieve the USD 100 billion export
milestone by 2047, India’s gem and jewellery sector has outgrown dependence on
traditional markets. It will drive growth through Free Trade Agreements, robust
government support, strategic diversification, manufacturing and technology innovation, and retail expansion. These pillars—anchored in transparency and consumer
trust—strengthen our global competitiveness and ensure sustainable, long-term
growth”, Chairman added.
Highlighting the role of finance and infrastructure in strengthening the sector, Harsha
Bangari, Managing Director, EXIM Bank, said, “Gems and jewellery is a traditional yet
dynamic sector with a significant contribution to India’s exports and employment.
Strengthening infrastructure, improving awareness about financial products, addressing
technology and skill gaps, and easing trade bottlenecks are critical for clusters to realise
their full export potential.”
Saumen Bhaumik, Managing Director, CaratLane said, “As our industry grows, every stakeholder has benefited, but continued investment in skills and craftsmanship will be key to sustaining this momentum. With the industry expected to grow significantly in the
coming years, the availability of skilled hands will become critical. Making artisans a priority is not charity, it is business prudence. If we want to be global leaders, dignity, pride and security for craftsmanship must sit at the centre of our growth story.”
Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC said, “IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 represents India’s commanding position in the global gem and jewellery industry, spanning manufacturing excellence, design innovation, and a rapidly growing domestic market. As the first major international jewellery trade fair of the year, it is where the global industry turns to India for direction and opportunity. The scale of participation,
growing international presence, and strong entry of new enterprises reflect the confidence of the trade—making IIJS Bharat – Signature the definitive platform where the global jewellery business year truly begins.”
Inspired by the Art Forms of India under the overarching “Brilliant Bharat” theme, the
dedicated Crafts Pavilion at IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026 celebrates the country’s rich
jewellery heritage through curated displays and live demonstrations by National Award-
winning artisans. The pavilion showcases GI-tagged traditions such as Thewa (gold on
glass), Banarasi Meenakari, Cuttack’s centuries-old silver filigree, and distinctive silver
crafts from the Hupari cluster, offering visitors a focused glimpse into India’s living craft
legacy.
The exhibition also features Select CLUB, a curated luxury segment at JWCC
showcasing high-end couture and fine jewellery by 107 select companies, alongside
Innov8 Talks & Symposium Knowledge Forums addressing critical themes such as
the future of natural diamonds, Free Trade Agreements, lab-grown diamond technology,
ease of doing business, and the role of AI in jewellery by 2030.
Aligned with GJEPC’s One Earth sustainability initiative, IIJS Bharat – Signature 2026
continues its commitment to responsible exhibitions, including the elimination of over
600,000 single-use plastic water bottles at the Bombay Exhibition Centre and wider
adoption of eco-conscious practices.
With global buyers, industry leaders, and policymakers converging in Mumbai, IIJS
Bharat – Signature 2026 is poised to set the tone for the gem and jewellery industry in
the year ahead—combining heritage, innovation, sustainability, and global business
opportunity on one unified platform.
DiamondBuzz
Gemfair and De Beers London have launched a capsule jewellery collection featuring ethically sourced artisanal diamonds.
This launch marks the first time that GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal-mined diamonds are featured in jewellery, bringing their story of supporting livelihoods to consumers
De Beers Group is pleased to announce a collaboration between GemFair, the company’s programme to help formalise the artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) sector, and its luxury jewellery brand, De Beers London, to bring the story and beauty of GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal diamonds to consumers for the first time.
GemFair is a first-of-its-kind sourcing initiative that aims to transform standards and livelihoods for artisanal diamond miners by providing fair value purchasing, training to improve mining and working practices and a formal and traceable route-to-market for ethically sourced artisanal diamonds. Through GemFair’s proprietary digital tools and third‑party‑verified assurance programme, eligible diamonds can be traced from mine site to market.
GemFair is also part of Building Forever – De Beers Group’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability – transforming rarity into responsibility by supporting meaningful impact that endures beyond diamonds for countries, communities and ecosystems. The programme’s success is measured through improvements in standards, support of livelihoods in both mining and alternative livelihoods like farming and fishing, and traceability rather than production volume, reflecting its long-term, systems-based approach.
The capsule collection with De Beers London translates this journey into a series of creations that pair rough and polished GemFair diamonds, offering a rare and tangible expression of transformation. Comprising twelve unique pieces, the capsule collection celebrates the House’s intimate relationship with the source. Sculpted by the quiet force of rivers, each diamond was individually selected for its character and quality. The polished diamonds were handcrafted exclusively for the capsule, while the rough diamonds remain as nature intended – an authentic and powerful tribute to the Earth’s raw beauty. Through ‘Toi & Moi’ rings and the ‘Modern Lines’ set, each piece reflects a continuous dialogue between discovery and craftsmanship, honouring both the origin of the diamond and the artistry that reveals it.
Beyond this capsule, GemFair is now a registered supplier to De Beers London for future collections, having met the House’s rigorous standards for quality and responsible sourcing. This partnership marks an important step in strengthening the connection between exceptional diamonds, the people who discover them, and the finished jewellery piece.
Emmanuelle Nodale, CEO of De Beers London, said: “We’re proud to be the first jeweller to launch a collection featuring GemFair ethically sourced diamonds, bringing not just their beauty but also the powerful story of artisanal miners to our clients. By introducing both rough and polished diamonds within the same creation, we offer a rare and tangible connection to each diamond’s path, from its discovery in ancient riverbeds to its transformation into a jewel.
These pieces carry not only the beauty of the diamond itself, but also the human stories behind it — stories of pride, opportunity and meaningful impact for artisanal mining communities. This collection marks an important step in our ongoing commitment to GemFair and to raising awareness of the programme’s important work.”
De Beers Group launched GemFair to lead industry efforts to formalise a transparent route to market for artisanal diamond miners, which accounts for around 10 per cent of global diamond supply by value and provides a vital source of livelihood for millions of people in some of the poorest parts of the world.
The programme launched in 2018 in the Kono region of Sierra Leone, where it continues to operate today. De Beers chose Sierra Leone to establish the GemFair programme because the government has made substantial efforts to include artisanal mining in its regulation and the country has transformed following the civil conflict that ended more than two decades ago.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands & Diamond Desirability said: “Today’s luxury is defined not only by craftsmanship but by conscience. As part of our commitment to Building Forever, GemFair plays a vital role in supporting livelihoods by formalising artisanal mining and creating fair, traceable routes to market. For the first time, we are bringing these diamonds to consumers through this new collection with De Beers London with pieces that celebrate the beauty of natural diamonds while telling a story of the producers’ empowerment and transformation.
It’s an important step in our efforts to translate rarity to responsibility and create meaningful impacts that endure beyond diamonds.”
Today, there are more than 500 artisanal mine sites participating in GemFair, which in turn support approximately 7,000 direct and many more indirect livelihoods. Since launching, GemFair has purchased more than 20,000 diamonds from participating miners and conducted more than 5,700 compliance visits to participating sites. GemFair has also launched a programme to reclaim artisanal mine sites once mining has ended to help improve safety and environmental practices within the sector. Since 2020, the programme has converted almost 160 abandoned mine pits to agricultural use and donated over 1,000 kilograms of rice, fruit and vegetable seedlings for local communities, supporting food security and providing an alternative source of livelihoods.
Steve Allan, Head of GemFair, said: “The collaboration with De Beers London marks a significant milestone for GemFair as our beautiful, ethically-sourced artisanal diamonds are sold in a dedicated jewellery collection for the first time. GemFair makes a tangible difference to the lives of the artisanal miners involved in the programme and it’s a great privilege to help tell their stories through the diamonds that we source and sell.
We’ve come a long way since starting out as a pilot programme trying to establish a model for something that had never been done before. It’s very rewarding to see GemFair diamonds set in such stunning jewellery pieces, representing a real full circle moment.”
Gemfair and De Beers London have launched a capsule jewellery collection featuring ethically sourced artisanal diamonds.
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