As India accelerates its efforts in indigenous manufacturing of lab-grown diamond (LGD) equipment, Prof. M.S. Ramachandra Rao, Head of the India Centre for Lab Grown Diamond (InCent-LGD) at IIT Madras, shares insights into the country’s advancements, challenges, and future vision in this cutting-edge field. From developing CVD and HPHT technologies to positioning India as a key player in the global LGD market, he outlines the innovations shaping the industry.
Can you tell us about the collaboration and how advanced India is in developing indigenous manufacturing equipment for LGDs?
There are two ways to make LGD machines—one is the CVD-based (Chemical Vapour Deposition) method. Some companies in India are already making these machines, and we are also in the process of developing indigenous CVD machines. These will have in-situ monitoring units embedded to ensure the highest quality of growth. The goal is to produce the best-grown crystals.
Where does India stand in comparison to other countries?
I wouldn’t say we are ahead or behind, but we do have the capability to manufacture these machines. However, the sophistication aspect is still missing. Making rough diamonds for jewellery using CVD machines is relatively straightforward, but for applications like semiconductors or optical-grade diamonds, more advanced technology is needed. That is our goal.
On the High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) process, India currently lacks the technology. The top 10 companies in this field are from China, and they dominate the $30 billion industrial diamond market. However, we have made significant progress in developing indigenous HPHT machines. Within just a year, we have created our own prototype, and in another year and a half, we expect to have a fully indigenous HPHT machine.
What is your vision for India’s LGD manufacturing industry?
There are immense possibilities. We started this project about a year and a half ago with a talented pool of engineers and scientists at various levels—master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral. The talent in India is remarkable. Nothing is impossible here; with the right resources and manpower, anything can be achieved.
What are some of the challenges you are facing?
Developing new technologies comes with challenges. The first is to build high-quality machines, and the second is to produce high-quality diamonds. Manufacturing always involves optimising many parameters to get the best output. However, with the right resources, these challenges can be addressed effectively.