With the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations nearing conclusion and the upcoming India-EU Summit in New Delhi on 27th January 2026, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has been consistently urging the Govt. to negotiate duty free market access for Indian made jewellery exports to EU. With the gold/silver prices at an upsurge, this will give very significant market advantage to Indian made products.
Strategic Demands
The GJEPC notes that current EU import duties—ranging from 2.5% to 4% on gold, silver, platinum, imitation jewellery and coins —significantly constrain the competitiveness of Indian exporters. To address this, the Council has formally sought the removal or reduction of these tariffs. In a move to ensure a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement, the GJEPC has also proposed calibrated concessions on select imports from the EU, particularly regarding diamonds and coloured gemstones.
Industry Perspective on India-EU FTA Negotiations
Commenting on the critical nature of these negotiations, Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, said: “We commend the sustained and focused efforts of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal in advancing the India-EU FTA negotiations. We have high expectations that this agreement will deliver concrete gains for the gem and jewellery sector. Tariff reduction on jewellery products is critical to help Indian exporters raise their share in Europe’s large import market, improve margins for MSMEs, and support employment across the value chain.”
FTA as a Catalyst for Export Growth
A strong FTA is viewed as a catalyst for transforming the Indian export profile. By levelling the playing field, the GJEPC believes Indian exporters can move beyond raw material supply to scale volumes in higher-value jewellery categories, strengthening India’s long-term positioning in the global trade ecosystem.
Expectations from the India-EU Trade Pact
GJEPC has expressed high expectations for the pact. The apex body is urging the Government of India to secure meaningful, sector-specific outcomes that will significantly expand India’s footprint in the lucrative European gem and jewellery market.
India-EU Gem and Jewellery Trade Overview
India and the European Union already share a robust bilateral trade relationship in the sector, valued at around US$ 5.15 billion. As of CY2024, India’s exports to the EU stood at US$ 2.7 billion, while imports totaled US$ 2.5 billion.
While exports are currently dominated by cut and polished diamonds (valued at US$ 1.72 billion), followed by gold jewellery (US$ 453 million) and silver jewellery (US$ 85 million), the GJEPC has been highlighting immense, untapped potential in finished jewellery categories.
Bridging the Gap: The Market Opportunity
Current data underscores a significant opportunity for growth:
- Gold Jewellery: The EU-27 imports US$ 11.37 billion annually from the global market. However, imports from India stand at just US$ 468 million, representing a market share of only 4.11%.
- Silver Jewellery: Of the US$ 2.47 billion global import market in the EU, India captures just US$ 104 million (4.2%).
- Imitation Jewellery: India holds a meager 2% share of the EU’s US$ 2.7 billion import market.
- As per ITC Trade Map India has a huge untapped export potential of US$ 16 billion in jewellery products in EU.
About The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (GoI) in 1966, is one of several Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) launched by the Indian Government, to boost the country’s export thrust, when India’s post-Independence economy began making forays in the international markets. Since 1998, the GJEPC has been granted autonomous status.
The GJEPC is the apex body of the gems & jewellery industry and today represents 10700+ members in the sector. With headquarters in Mumbai, GJEPC has Regional Offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Surat and Jaipur, all of which are major centres for the industry. It thus has a wide reach and is able to have a closer interaction with members to serve them in a direct and more meaningful manner. Over the past decades, GJEPC has emerged as one of the most active EPCs and has continuously strived to both expand its reach and depth in its promotional activities as well as widen and increase services to its members.
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