Key Highlights
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal chaired the 2026 Kimberley Process Inter‑sessional meeting held in Mumbai.
- Participants included nation‑state delegations, major diamond‑industry bodies and civil‑society groups.
- Discussions centered on boosting openness, strengthening governance frameworks and rebuilding confidence throughout the global diamond supply chain.
- India promoted its “3C” agenda – Credibility, Compliance and Consumer Confidence – as a blueprint for ethical trade.
Detailed Insights
The Kimberley Process, established in 2000, remains the sole international mechanism designed to keep conflict diamonds out of legitimate markets. It does so through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), a traceability system that follows each stone from mine to retail point. At the Mumbai gathering, representatives examined ways to tighten monitoring protocols, enhance data‑sharing practices and expand outreach to artisanal miners. The Indian presidency highlighted the nation’s status as the world’s largest centre for diamond cutting and polishing, arguing that its scale gives it a unique responsibility to champion sustainable and responsible sourcing.
Three pillars under the “3C” theme were reiterated:
- Credibility – guaranteeing the authenticity of each gemstone via rigorous certification.
- Compliance – aligning national regulations with the KPCS standards and international best practices.
- Consumer Confidence – fostering buyer trust through transparent information and robust consumer‑education programmes.
The summit concluded with concrete commitments to improve statistical transparency, upgrade compliance monitoring tools and deepen cooperation among governments, industry associations and NGOs. These measures are slated to shape the agenda of the forthcoming KP plenary in New Delhi.