India, holding the Kimberley Process (KP) Chairship for 2026, has outlined its key priorities for the global diamond industry, including responsible rough diamond sourcing, ahead of the KP Plenary scheduled in New Delhi from November 30 to December 4, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, November 5, Nation Press reported.

Source: Nation Press

The priorities were aired at a stakeholder consultation held in Luanda, Angola, on November 3, convened by India and chaired by Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Yashvir Singh, who represented India as KP Chair. The consultation brought together the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of KP Working Groups and Committees, the KP Vice-Chair, the Republic of Ghana, and the former KP Chair, the United Arab Emirates, according to the ministry's account of the Luanda meetings.

Source: Ministry of Commerce statement via Heera Zhaveraat

Reaffirming India's KP Chairship theme of "Confidence, Compliance and Credibility", Singh said India's chairship places emphasis on those three principles. Discussions covered the sustainability of diamond-producing countries and communities, sustainable funding and continuity of the KP Secretariat, digitalisation of certification and statistical processes, and strengthening compliance with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Source: Ministry of Commerce statement via Heera Zhaveraat

Nov 30 – Dec 4Kimberley Process Plenary in New Delhi
Nov 3–4ADPA@20 celebrations and KP consultation in Luanda
2026India's year as Kimberley Process Chair

Participants also exchanged views on reform of the conflict diamond definition, responsible sourcing, artisanal and alluvial diamond production, consumer confidence and the importance of effective reporting and peer-review mechanisms, the ministry said. Working body chairs shared updates on their work plans and the draft Administrative Decisions proposed for the Plenary.

Source: Ministry of Commerce statement via Heera Zhaveraat

GJEPC–ADPA memorandum approved in Luanda

A key outcome of the Luanda meetings was the approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) of India and the African Diamond Producers' Association (ADPA), ratified at the 13th Extraordinary Meeting of the ADPA Council of Ministers, held alongside the ADPA's 20th anniversary celebrations, Nation Press reported. The MoU covers capacity building and skills development in diamond sorting, valuation and manufacturing, technical expertise exchange, and the promotion of trade and investment linkages across the diamond value chain. India currently holds observer status in the ADPA.

Source: Nation Press

On November 4, Singh also addressed the ADPA Council of Ministers with a presentation titled "Partnering for the Future: A Global Industry Perspective on Africa's Diamond Future", underlining the central place of African producing countries in the global diamond value chain, the ministry said.

Source: Ministry of Commerce statement via Heera Zhaveraat

Why it matters

The Kimberley Process is the global scheme that certifies rough diamonds as conflict-free. As 2026 Chair, India — home to the world's largest diamond cutting and polishing industry — sets the agenda, and the decisions prepared in Luanda will come before the Plenary in New Delhi at the end of this month.