The CII Gems & Jewellery Conference 2025 under the theme ‘Future Forward: Innovation and Sustainability of Indian Jewellery’, opened on 28 November in New Delhi. The event featured an inaugural address by Chief Guest Smt Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, and a special address by Shri Sanjeet Singh, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog.
Mr. Pramod Agarwal, Chairman, CII Task Force on Gems and Jewellery and Chairman, Derewala Industries, delivered the opening remarks. He was followed by special remarks from Mr. Shridaran Pillay, Vice President, Government Affairs, De Beers Group, and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC.
The conference featured a focused discussion on the future of the gold sector titled ‘Reshaping India’s Gold Economy’. The session was moderated by Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, and brought together key industry voices to examine broad shifts shaping India’s gold ecosystem.
The panel included Mr. Sachin Jain, CEO India, World Gold Council; Mr. Sandeep Kohli, CEO, Indriya and Novel Jewels, Aditya Birla Group; Mr. Samit Guha, MD & CEO, MMTC-PAMP; and Mr. Rajesh Rokde, Chairman, GJC. The discussion covered themes such as the evolution of the gold value chain, changing consumer behaviour, demand patterns, and the growing relevance of new formats such as lightweight, design-led, or technology-influenced gold.
Speakers also touched upon the importance of integrating global best practices with India’s market requirements, along with the need to enhance transparency, quality standards, and trust across the value chain. The session highlighted the shared view that India’s gold sector is entering a period of transition, shaped by new consumer expectations, emerging retail trends, and the wider push for formalisation and efficiency.