Editor’s Note
India is set to assume the chairmanship of the Kimberley Process in 2026, marking a significant shift in oversight of the global diamond trade. This role entails leading international efforts to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the market.
A major and decisive change is about to occur in the world’s diamond trade. Starting January 1, 2026, India will become the Chairman of the Kimberley Process (KP), the global diamond monitoring system. With this, the responsibility of overseeing conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds, will come into India’s hands. This is the same international system that ensures rough diamonds are not used to fund wars, violence, or rebellions.
Diamonds are recognized worldwide as a symbol of love, opulence, and luxury, but often behind their sparkle lies a painful story of blood and violence. In many African countries, diamonds had become the currency of war. The term ‘conflict diamond’ or ‘blood diamond’ was born from the seizure of mines, illegal diamond trade, purchase of weapons, and violence spanning generations.
The Kimberley Process is an international initiative that began on January 1, 2003, with the support of the United Nations. Governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society work together under this framework to ensure that no rough diamond sold in the world becomes a means of funding violence or terrorism. Today, it includes 60 countries and institutions, and over 99% of the world’s rough diamond trade is controlled under this system.
India is the world’s largest diamond cutting and polishing hub. The heartbeat of the global diamond industry runs from Surat, and millions of people’s livelihoods are linked to this sector. Most of the polished diamonds sold in the world reach the market via India. In this context, India’s strictness can make the entire global diamond trade more transparent.
During its tenure, India will emphasize digital certification, traceability of diamonds from mine to market, data-based surveillance, and closing loopholes in the system. The objective is clear: to give consumers confidence that the diamond they purchased is not stained with blood.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, described this as a symbol of growing global trust in India.
The message is clear: there is no place for blood behind the sparkle.