The 33rd edition of the India International Jewellery Show was inaugurated at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai this morning by Mr. Bruce Cleaver (CEO, De Beers Group) in the presence of Mr Manoj Dwivedi (Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India) and senior members of the Indian gem and jewellery industry.

Welcoming the guests, GJEPC Chairman Mr Praveenshankar Pandya said that the IIJS with over 1,200 exhibitors, more than 2,000 stalls and an expected 35,000 – 40,000 visitors was today the 5th largest trade show in the world. “We are doing excellent business and have scope to grow further,” he added.

Pandya thanked the De Beers CEO for his presence at the show and said that the Indian industry has always appreciated the support that the mining company has given India over the last few decades. Stressing that the present challenges faced by the industry are closely linked to the lack of generic category marketing, he said, “Promotion is the key to going forward.”

In this context, Pandya announced that GJEPC would be signing a MoU with De Beers to undertake promotional activities to drive consumer demand for diamond jewellery in India.  

Mr Dwivedi also addressed the inaugural session and said that the government and the industry have a common vision for growth – that of increasing exports and boosting employment. They need to work hand in hand to ensure that these shared goals are realised.

In his address, Mr Cleaver said it was indeed fitting that one of his first public engagements in his new role as De Beers CEO was in India. The country represented the glorious past and the exciting future of the diamond industry, he stated.

De Beers had three focus areas – promotions, protection of the integrity of natural diamonds and partnerships, Cleaver said. The first two would ensure that consumer confidence in the product remained high and consumer demand would grow, while partnerships were one of the most important means of achieving our goals, he added.

The Indian industry is already one of the most important partners for De Beers in the midstream, Cleaver noted, and said that the country was central to many plans downstream as well. He announced that De Beers, which had already invested heavily in developing the highly advanced IIDGR, would soon be expanding this facility. It was also driving the growth of diamond consumption with its Forevermark brand, and was excited to be partnering GJEPC in downstream promotional activities later this year.

Mr Saunak Parikh, Convener - National Exhibitions Sub-committee, GJEPC, proposed the Vote of Thanks, and expressed his appreciation over the importance that both Mr Cleaver and Mr Dwivedi had given to collaboration. “IIJS is a critical part of the industry’s business calendar for manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and designers alike,” he said wishing the participants all success.

Pic Caption: iijs1 - Mr. Praveenshankar Pandya, Mr. Manoj Dwivedi and Mr. Bruce Cleaver (CEO, De Beers Group) inaugurate IIJS