India targets $100B gems and jewellery exports by 2040
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said innovation, global design, branding, skills, AI and 3D printing could lift gems and jewellery exports from $28 billion in 2025-26 to $100 billion by 2040.
What happened
India gems and jewellery sector · Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said innovation, global design, branding, skills, AI and 3D printing can help India's gems
Key facts
- $100 billion gems and jewellery export target by 2040
- $28 billion exports in 2025-26
- 1.2% projected contribution to India's GDP by 2040
- 14% projected share of India's merchandise exports by 2040
Why this matters
Corporates should assess partnerships or acquisitions in design technology, advanced manufacturing, certification and international distribution to build export-ready jewellery capabilities.
What to watch
- Government incentives or export-policy changes tied to jewellery technology, design, skilling, SEZs and duty structures.
- Growth in finished-jewellery share of exports versus cut-and-polished diamonds and raw-material processing.
- Adoption rates for CAD/CAM, 3D printing, AI design tools and digital traceability among Indian jewellery SMEs.
- Major Indian manufacturers launching consumer-facing brands, overseas flagship stores or distribution partnerships.
- US, EU and Gulf import demand, tariff changes, sanctions exposure and compliance requirements for diamonds and precious metals.
- Lab-grown diamond pricing, retail penetration and its impact on Surat's natural-diamond processing ecosystem.
- Gold-price volatility and its effect on consumer demand, inventory financing and export working capital.
- Availability of skilled designers, CAD specialists and production technicians relative to industry hiring needs.
- Build AI-enabled design-to-sampling workflows that reduce prototyping time and allow rapid customization for export buyers.
- Prioritize finished-jewellery and proprietary collection exports over low-margin component and contract-manufacturing volumes.
- Develop market-specific brands and assortments for the US, Gulf, Europe and Southeast Asia, using local retail, marketplace and influencer partnerships.
- Invest in transparent sourcing, digital product passports, hallmarking and sustainability claims to meet premium-market compliance requirements.
- Expand training in CAD, 3D printing, gemology, merchandising and cross-border digital commerce; competition for these skills will intensify.
- Create separate strategies for natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, gold jewellery and coloured stones, as their demand and margin pools will diverge.