Editor’s Note
India is set to chair the UN-backed Kimberley Process, which regulates the trade of conflict diamonds, for the third time starting in 2026.
India will assume the chairmanship of the UN-backed global forum, the Kimberley Process (KP), from January 1, 2026, for the third time. The Kimberley Process is an international initiative aimed at preventing the trade of conflict diamonds.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced India’s upcoming leadership role. He outlined three key priorities for India’s tenure:
Minister Goyal stated that India will advance data-driven, rule-based compliance within the KP framework. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), established in 2003, is a tripartite initiative involving governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society. It regulates the trade in rough diamonds to curb the flow of conflict diamonds used to finance armed conflicts.
Goyal emphasized the significance of India’s role:
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry noted that India’s leadership comes at a time of shifting geopolitics and a growing global emphasis on sustainable and responsible sourcing. India, a leading global hub for diamond manufacturing and trade, previously chaired the KP in 2008 and 2019.
The Kimberley Process represents 86 countries, including China, the UK, the EU, the US, and Russia, accounting for about 99.8% of global rough diamond production. The current chair is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the KP, conflict diamonds now account for less than 0.1% of the world’s diamond production, with significant progress made in countries like Sierra Leone, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.