Indian government sends delegation to South Africa for diamond mining meet

An Indian delegation led by the Government of India’s director at the Department of Commerce R Arulanandan travelled to South Africa to advocate for more direct trade of rough diamonds between India and African mining nations at a global industry event.

The Indian delegation took part in the ‘Opportunities in India’ event on the sidelines of diamond mining industry event Mining Indaba 2025, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council reported on its website. The event was hosted by the Consulate General of India in Cape Town and the Government of India and brought together diamond industry players from around the world. 

The GJEPC‘s regional director for Surat Rajat Wani was part of the Indian delegation and spoke at ‘Opportunities in India’ about strengthening trade ties in the industry. India’s Special Notified Zones for diamonds in Mumbai and Surat hold great potential for simplifying trade processes in the global diamond trade, said Wani, who also called for increased direct trade of rough diamonds between India and African mining nations. The Indian delegation also presented the direct auctioning of diamonds in Special Notified Zones as being mutually beneficial for both parties and the necessity of consignment exports was also explored. 

“Mining Indaba 2025 is paving the way for a brighter future in African mining with this year’s theme, “Future-Proofing African Mining, Today”,” announced Mining Indaba on Facebook, sharing images from the event. “What an incredible evening, hosting a memorable gala dinner with Anglo American. A huge thank you to them for their support and for making this unforgettable event possible! Here’s to the bright future of African mining!”