Discuss how India's engagement with African diamond-producing nations can secure supply chains while promoting value addition in producing countries.

India is a major diamond cutting and polishing hub that depends on imported rough stones. It is the 2026 Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP). It is also an Observer in the African Diamond Producers' Association (ADPA), whose members produce over 60% of global output [1]. India can turn this dependence into a partnership that benefits both sides.

Securing India's supply chains

• Institutional bridge: The KP chairship and ADPA Observer status let India link African producers with processing and consumer markets. India held a consultation in Luanda before the Plenary to build agreement early [1].
• Trust in trade: The 2026 3Cs theme (Confidence, Compliance, Credibility) protects demand for natural diamonds and keeps certified rough flowing [2].
• Rule-based market: A working KP stops the market from splitting into separate national filters, which would hurt processing hubs like India most. The 2023 Plenary ended without a communiqué, which shows how fragile this is [3].

Promoting value addition in Africa

• GJEPC–ADPA MoU: Covers capacity building in sorting, valuation and manufacturing, technical exchange, and trade and investment links [1].
• Joint ventures: Indian firms can set up cutting units in producing countries, so jobs and revenue stay local.
• Livelihoods: KP work on artisanal and alluvial production supports mining communities [2].
• Sustainability: ADPA's Sustainable Diamond Standard adds audit-based responsible sourcing [1].

Challenges

• Competing interests: Processing in Africa may divert rough away from Indian units.
• Consensus deadlock: One Participant can block decisions, and disputes linked to the Russia–Ukraine war stalled the 2023 Plenary [3].
• Definition debate: Producers fear that a wider conflict-diamond definition could stigmatise their national industries [1].
• Soft commitments: An MoU is not binding, so results depend on follow-through.

Way forward

• Revive reform: Restart the reform agenda of the Ad Hoc Committee on Review and Reform that India chaired in 2017, including a permanent secretariat and a multi-donor fund [4].
• Divide the work: Present value addition as complementary. African producers can handle primary sorting and cutting, while India focuses on high-end polishing, design and finance.
• Wider Africa policy: Link diamond cooperation with India's broader skilling and investment partnerships in Africa.

India's diamond diplomacy can make supply security and value addition in producing countries support each other instead of competing. If India uses its chairship to build consensus and carries out the MoU, it can show South–South cooperation delivering the 3Cs. This advances SDG 8 (decent work) and SDG 12 (responsible production).