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India to lead Kimberley Process as chair
The appointment comes as the global diamond certification system faces calls for reform and tighter oversight of conflict-free sourcing.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 26, Dec 2025
- 15:42 EST
- 17
Kimberly Process / kimberleyprocess.com
India will assume the chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process, a global initiative regulating the trade in rough diamonds to prevent the circulation of conflict diamonds, from Jan. 1, 2026.
Selected by the Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary, India will first take over as vice chair from Dec. 25, before assuming the chair in the new year. This will be the third time India has been entrusted with leading the multilateral initiative.
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The Kimberley Process is a tripartite framework involving governments, the international diamond industry and civil society, aimed at preventing the trade in “conflict diamonds”—rough diamonds used by rebel groups or their allies to finance conflicts that undermine legitimate governments, as defined under United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Welcoming the decision, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said India’s selection reflects international confidence in the country’s commitment to integrity, transparency and rule-based global trade.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) came into effect on Jan. 1, 2003, following a United Nations mandate, in response to concerns that diamond revenues were fueling armed conflicts in parts of Africa. Over the past two decades, the scheme has evolved into the principal international mechanism governing the trade in rough diamonds.
The group currently has 60 participants, with the European Union and its member states counted as a single participant. Collectively, KP participants account for more than 99 percent of global rough diamond trade, making it one of the most comprehensive sector-specific multilateral trade regimes.
During its tenure, India is expected to focus on strengthening governance and compliance within the Kimberley Process, advancing digital certification and traceability systems, enhancing transparency through data-driven monitoring, and building consumer confidence in conflict-free diamonds.
As chair, India will work closely with participating countries and observers to reinforce confidence in the Kimberley Process, ensure rule-based compliance, and strengthen the credibility of the certification scheme as a multilateral framework aligned with its core mandate and contemporary global trade expectations, a government release stated.
India’s leadership of the Kimberley Process carries particular significance given its central role in the global diamond industry. India is one of the world’s largest centers for diamond cutting and polishing, processing a majority of the rough diamonds traded internationally, and plays a key role in global supply chains linking diamond-producing countries, trading hubs and consumer markets.
The chairpersonship comes at a time when the Kimberley Process faces increased scrutiny and calls for reform. Several participating countries and civil society organizations have advocated stronger compliance mechanisms, improved traceability and greater transparency amid debates on how the certification scheme should adapt to evolving expectations around responsible sourcing and ethical trade.
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