Against the backdrop of deepening India-U.S. trade ties, GJEPC hosted a delegation of U.S. senators, state legislators and National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) officials at its Mumbai headquarters on 22nd June to provide an overview of India’s gem and jewellery industry and discuss key sectoral trends.
The delegation comprised Wayne Harper, President Emeritus and President Pro Tempore, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL); Dan Saddler, Member, Alaska House of Representatives; Chase Blasi, Member, Kansas Senate; Chris Lee, Member, Hawaii Senate; Kirstin Kahaloa, Member, Hawaii House of Representatives; Ron Winterton, Member, Utah Senate representing Daggett, Duchesne, Summit, Uintah and Wasatch counties; and Bryan Thomas, Chief Communications Officer, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
The U.S. delegation was welcomed by Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC; Shaunak Parikh, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; Mehul Shah, Vice President, Bharat Diamond Bourse; Ashish Borda, Convenor – PMBD, GJEPC; Mital Doshi, Convenor – Banking, Insurance & Taxation Committee (BITC), GJEPC; Bharat Ghori, Member – Diamond Panel, GJEPC; and Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC.
The discussions touched upon India-U.S. trade relations, the global diamond and jewellery supply chain, employment generation, compliance standards, the Kimberley Process, natural and lab-grown diamonds, skill development, and industry welfare initiatives.