Editor’s Note
The CETA agreement between India and the UK has officially taken effect, marking a milestone for bilateral trade. In a promising start, four major jewelers from Surat have dispatched their first consignment to the UK, part of an initial $10 million shipment featuring gold, diamond, silver, and platinum jewelry.
The long-awaited Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the United Kingdom has officially come into effect. With the launch of this historic free trade agreement, four major jewelers from Surat, Gujarat, dispatched their first consignment to the UK on Wednesday.
These precious jewelry items were sent from the office of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) located at the Surat Diamond Bourse building complex to various cities in the UK. The four exporting companies include Gaurav Jewelers, Roy Diamonds, Sheesh Jewels, and Parvati Jewels LLP. This consignment is a significant part of the initial shipment worth $10 million, which includes exquisite jewelry made of gold, diamonds, silver, and platinum.
This new agreement has opened the door to a new era for the Indian gem and jewelry industry. From the very first day of its implementation, Indian businesses have gained zero-duty access to the UK market. Previously, jewelry imports to the UK faced tariffs of up to 4%, which have now been completely eliminated. This will provide Indian exporters with a significant competitive edge in the UK’s $4 billion jewelry import market, creating new opportunities for exports, investment, and employment.
According to data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), exports from India to the UK hold tremendous potential. Exports of polished natural diamonds stood at $44.51 million in 2023, rising to $170.19 million in 2024 and $151.19 million in 2025. Meanwhile, exports of polished lab-grown diamonds increased from $6.26 million in 2023 to $26.06 million in 2024 and $27.58 million in 2025.
Similarly, exports of gold jewelry were $70.81 million in 2023, jumping to $328.44 million in 2024 and $394.14 million in 2025. India also exports large quantities of semi-manufactured silver jewelry, imitation jewelry, and other types of jewelry. Overall, India’s total gem and jewelry exports to the UK were $164.77 million in 2023, which surged to $941 million in 2024 and was recorded at $754.11 million in 2025.
GJEPC Chairman Kirit Bhansali described this as a proud moment for the Indian gem and jewelry industry. He said:
Bhansali expressed hope that due to zero-duty access, India’s gem and jewelry exports to the UK will increase from $754 million to approximately $2.5 billion over the next three years. This will open new avenues for growth for artisans, designers, and the MSME sector.
At the flag-off event at Surat Diamond Bourse, several other products were also dispatched alongside the jewelry. These included studded gold jewelry from Sheesh Jewels (SEZ, Surat), plain and studded jewelry from Gaurav Jewelers (Varachha), jewelry from Roy Diamond (Sumul Dairy Road), and Parvati Jewels (SEZ). Additionally, prebiotic soda drinks from ‘ABNN Fresh Expo’ (Sachin area), products from ‘ACO Perfumes’ (SEZ), and textile products from ‘Nyasa Industries’ were also successfully exported.
Gaurav Limbhani, owner of Gaurav Jewels, shared his excitement:
He added that they are currently exporting to both the UK and Canada.
Rahulbhai Kheni of Parvati Jewels stated:
Akash Roy, owner of Roy Diamond Firm, informed:
Jayantibhai N. Savalia, Chairman of GJEPC Gujarat Region, emphasized Surat’s global importance:
He concluded by saying that the departure of this first consignment strongly establishes Surat’s leadership and is precise proof of the positive expectations the industry has from this trade agreement. Now that Indian jewelry is entering the British market duty-free for the first time, Surat’s businesses and artisans are fully prepared to give a new direction to India’s global jewelry exports.