Inadequate ease of doing business measures are eroding the global competitiveness of India's gold and jewellery exports, according to K. Srinivasan, Convener of the Gold Jewellery Panel, GJEPC, and Chairman & Managing Director of Emerald Jewel Industry India Ltd. Speaking at the CII Gems & Jewellery Conference, Srinivasan said exporters continue to face persistent procedural delays, high transaction costs, and heavy regulatory compliance burdens.
Procedural Friction Weighing on Export Speed and Cost
According to Srinivasan, these structural issues directly affect the speed, cost, and flexibility with which Indian jewellery businesses are able to respond to global demand. He warned that while India holds strong potential to become a top global hub for gem and jewellery manufacturing, global supply is currently outpacing demand, intensifying competition from countries such as China. In this environment, he cautioned, nations offering faster processes, lower costs and better trade facilitation will be the ones to capture market share.
Conference Context and Industry Priorities
The remarks came at the Gems & Jewellery Conference 2026, "India's Jewellery Moment: From Craft to Commerce, Innovation to Impact", held in New Delhi, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with support from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
At the same conference, Dr Pravakar Sahoo, Program Director, NITI Aayog, noted that India currently holds an 8% share of global gems and jewellery exports (excluding raw gold), and called for greater value addition, design innovation, diversification and stronger global market positioning
Dr Sahoo also flagged the need to address fragmentation in the industry, strengthen infrastructure and financing, build trust and transparency, and diversify India's export and import markets amid shifting global trade dynamics
G R Anand Ananthapadmanabhan, Chairman, CII Gems & Jewellery Taskforce and Managing Director, GRT Group, underlined jewellery's deep economic and social significance in India, describing it as historically serving as a source of savings and financial security for Indian families, including during periods of economic distress
Taken together, the conference discussions pointed to a shared industry concern: that without faster regulatory processes and stronger ease-of-doing-business reforms, India risks losing ground to more agile global competitors even as it works to scale up value-added manufacturing and exports.