NEW DELHI, November 6: India, which chairs the Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026, held a consultation with the scheme’s working bodies in Luanda, Angola, on November 3 to prepare for the KP Plenary that New Delhi will host from November 30 to December 4, the Commerce Ministry said on Thursday. Reform of the definition of “conflict diamonds” and stronger compliance were among the issues discussed.
Key highlights
- Plenary: New Delhi, November 30 to December 4, 2026.
- Luanda meeting: led by KP Chair Yashvir Singh, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, with the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of KP working groups and committees, Vice-Chair Ghana and former Chair UAE.
- Observers present: World Diamond Council, KP Civil Society Coalition, Diamond Development Initiative at RESOLVE and the African Diamond Producers’ Association (ADPA).
- Theme: India’s chairship theme is “Confidence, Compliance and Credibility”.
- Africa link: the meeting was held alongside ADPA’s 20th anniversary; India has observer status in ADPA.
What was on the agenda
- Draft administrative decisions for the Plenary.
- Responsible sourcing of rough diamonds.
- Improvements to the statistical reporting platform and digitalisation of certificates.
- Sustainable funding and continuity of the KP Secretariat.
- Reform of the conflict diamond definition.
- Artisanal and alluvial diamond production, consumer confidence and peer review.
About the Kimberley Process
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, launched in 2003, aims to stop rough diamonds that finance armed conflict from entering legitimate trade. Members must certify that rough diamond shipments are conflict-free. Critics have long argued that the current definition, which covers only diamonds funding rebel movements against governments, is too narrow, which is why reform of the definition keeps returning to the agenda.
What it means for India
India is the world’s largest centre for cutting and polishing diamonds, with Surat at its heart, so the rules on rough diamond trade matter directly to its exporters and workers. Hosting the Plenary gives India a chance to shape decisions on sourcing and compliance, and its outreach to African producers through ADPA could help secure rough diamond supplies.
What to watch
- Decisions at the New Delhi Plenary, especially on the conflict diamond definition.
- Any new cooperation between India and African diamond producers.
A rough diamond crystal. Image: W.carter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
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