A senior Namibian delegation led by Ms. Gaudentia Krohne, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, visited GJEPC office on 11 August as part of a B2B engagement aimed at exploring greater cooperation between Namibia and India’s diamond industry.
Quick Summary
- A senior Namibian delegation led by Ms. Gaudentia Krohne visited GJEPC on 11 August 2026.
- The visit focused on greater cooperation between Namibia and India’s diamond industry.
- The delegation visited GJEPC, Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), Indian Diamond Trading Centre (IDTC), customs facilities and other infrastructure.
- GJEPC highlighted the proposed 15-year income-tax exemption for rough diamond sales through notified Special Notified Zones.
- Namibia produced 2.09 million carats valued at US$721.4 million in 2025.
- India was the world’s largest rough diamond importing market in 2025, importing 106.09 million carats worth US$11.07 billion.
Namibia Delegation Visits GJEPC to Explore Greater Diamond Cooperation
A senior Namibian delegation led by Ms. Gaudentia Krohne, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, visited GJEPC office on 11 August as part of a B2B engagement aimed at exploring greater cooperation between Namibia and India’s diamond industry.
The delegation included Rehabeam Nepaya, Deputy Director, Diamond Affairs; Secret Ruhaka and Titus Amukwelele, Diamond Inspectors; and Balchand Jain, Honorary Consul of Namibia in Mumbai.
The group visited the GJEPC office, the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), and the Indian Diamond Trading Centre (IDTC), before touring customs facilities and other infrastructure.
GJEPC Highlights India’s Diamond Manufacturing and Trading Potential
Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, said “Namibia produces the world’s highest-value rough diamonds, while India cuts and polishes 14 out of every 15 diamonds globally. With the proposed 15-year tax exemption for Special Notified Zones, India can now offer producer nations not just manufacturing, but a global trading hub. We look forward to building a lasting partnership with Namibia.”
Anoop Mehta, Convener – Diamond Panel, GJEPC, said “We have invited Namibia to bring its rough diamonds to India and utilise the new tax framework for trading through the Special Notified Zones. This will give Indian MSMEs more direct access to high-quality rough diamonds without the need to travel overseas. We are exploring this opportunity closely and, if the discussions progress, we would be happy to work towards an MoU with Namibia. We are very positive that, with this new policy, a greater share of Namibia’s diamond trade can come directly to India.”
GJEPC Welcomes Namibian Delegation
The delegation was welcomed by Anoop Mehta, Convener – Diamond Panel, GJEPC; Ashish Borda & Bharat Ghori, both Members – Diamond Panel, GJEPC; and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC.
The visit has come at a significant moment for India’s diamond trade. The recently introduced Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposed a 15-year income-tax exemption on income from the sale of rough diamonds through notified Special Notified Zones (SNZs) at BDB and Surat Diamond Bourse. The measure was subsequently reported as part of the government’s effort to strengthen India’s position as a global rough diamond trading hub.
The proposed exemption covers foreign mining companies, sightholders, brokers, aggregators, and tender and auction entities connected with rough diamond sales. The exemption was proposed to apply from 1 October 2026 through the tax year ending 31 March 2041.
Namibia Emerges as a Significant Diamond Producer
Namibia is a significant diamond producer, with Kimberley Process data showing production of 2.09 million carats valued at US$721.4 million in 2025. Its average production value of US$343.88 per carat was the highest of all producing countries last year. Namibia was the fifth largest diamond producer by value in 2025. It accounted for about 8% of global rough diamond production in terms of both volume and value.
The country also exported 2.04 million carats worth US$578.4 million in 2025, according to the Kimberley Process data.
Namibia Highlights the Quality of Its Diamonds
Highlighting the quality of Namibia’s production, Ms. Gaudentia Krohne, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy said. “Namibia is having the best quality of diamonds in the world. We do not have the quantity, but we have the best quality. That’s why I am really proud to come from Namibia and talk about the Namibian diamonds in India.”
The delegation also saw a potential role for India’s diamond trading infrastructure in bringing Namibian roughs closer to Indian buyers.
“We can bring our diamonds here, showcase them here and even sell them. If this platform created by India is already being used by other countries, why can Namibia not make use of it too?” Ms. Krohne added.
India Remains the World’s Largest Rough Diamond Importing Market
The figures underline why Namibia is strategically relevant to India’s diamond ecosystem. India was the world’s largest rough diamond importing market in 2025, importing 106.09 million carats worth US$11.07 billion.
The delegation’s visit therefore comes as India seeks to attract a wider pool of international mining companies and trading entities into its notified zones. For producer nations such as Namibia, the combination of India’s large manufacturing base, established diamond-market infrastructure and the proposed long-term tax certainty created a potentially stronger route for closer India-Namibia diamond trade.
Namibian Delegation Reviews India’s End-to-End Diamond Ecosystem
The visit was also structured to give the Namibian officials a view of India’s end-to-end diamond ecosystem. The BDB programme included an overview of the Indian diamond industry, a meeting with the BDB Managing Committee and a visit to IDTC, while the planned engagement at SEEPZ was intended to provide an understanding of India’s diamond manufacturing ecosystem, infrastructure and operations. The IDTC platform was developed to give smaller Indian manufacturers access to international rough diamonds without the cost of travelling to overseas markets.
India Offers Scale and Trading Infrastructure to Namibia
For Namibia, the opportunity was clear: India offered scale and processing capacity; the new tax framework offered a longer-term proposition for bringing more international rough diamond trading activity into the country’s Special Notified Zones.
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 postIndependence 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 11000+ 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.
FAQs
What was the purpose of the Namibian delegation’s visit to India?
The visit was part of a B2B engagement aimed at exploring greater cooperation between Namibia and India’s diamond industry.
What did the Namibian delegation visit?
The group visited the GJEPC office, the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), the Indian Diamond Trading Centre (IDTC), customs facilities and other infrastructure.
What tax reform is relevant to Namibia’s diamond trade with India?
The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposed a 15-year income-tax exemption on income from the sale of rough diamonds through notified Special Notified Zones at BDB and Surat Diamond Bourse.
How much did Namibia produce in diamonds in 2025?
Namibia produced 2.09 million carats valued at US$721.4 million in 2025, according to Kimberley Process data.
How much rough diamond did India import in 2025?
India imported 106.09 million carats of rough diamonds worth US$11.07 billion in 2025.
Which Indian platforms could support greater Namibia-India rough diamond trade?
The visit highlighted India’s Special Notified Zones, the Bharat Diamond Bourse and the Indian Diamond Trading Centre as part of the infrastructure that could support international rough diamond trading activity.
Source: SVAR Media Network
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