At India AI Impact Summit 2026, MSDE Pavilion Positions Skilling At The Core of India’s Inclusive AI Vision

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) participates in the India AI Impact Summit 2026 which begins today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with a dedicated pavilion centred on the vision of “AI for Inclusive Development”, positioning skilling at the heart of India’s AI journey. As the Summit brings together global leaders, policymakers and technology pioneers in what is being recognised as one of the largest AI gatherings in the Global South, MSDE’s presence underscores India’s commitment to ensuring that artificial intelligence strengthens livelihoods rather than displacing them. The pavilion will be located at Booth No.- 3F 26 and 3F 20, Bharat Mandapam.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, said, “India’s hosting of one of the largest AI summits in the Global South reflects our resolve to shape a responsible and inclusive AI future. This is a great opportunity to engage with global partners and showcase how India is equipping its youth and workforce with AI-ready skills that power growth and opportunity for all.”

The MSDE Pavilion translates this vision into action through a comprehensive framework built around skilling in AI, skilling with AI and skilling for AI. Skilling in AI focuses on building foundational and advanced competencies in artificial intelligence through initiatives such as SOAR (Skilling for AI Readiness), NSQF-aligned emerging job roles and short-duration nano-credentials delivered in partnership with industry. Visitors at the Pavilion experience micro-learning modules, live dashboards and interactive installations that demonstrate how AI literacy can be democratised across age groups and backgrounds, enabling learners to transition into AI-enabled careers.

Skilling with AI highlights how artificial intelligence is transforming the delivery and governance of skill development itself. AI-powered systems such as the Skill India Assistant (SIA) guide learners on career pathways aligned with their qualifications and interests, while recommendation engines integrated with the Skill India Digital Hub personalise course suggestions across sectors. AI-enabled monitoring and assessment tools, including computer vision-based practical evaluations, demonstrate how technology can enhance transparency, efficiency and credibility in skill certification. Together, these innovations show how AI is being embedded within the skilling ecosystem to improve outcomes, reach and quality.

Skilling for AI addresses workforce readiness in an economy where AI increasingly augments productivity. Through gamified demonstrations and real-life personas, the Pavilion illustrates how farmers can leverage AI-driven advisory systems, electricians can diagnose faults using AI-enabled applications, construction workers can access multilingual AI learning support on-site, and weavers can co-create customised designs using AI tools. These examples reinforce the message that AI is not confined to coders or large enterprises; it can enhance productivity and incomes for India’s informal and blue-collar workforce as well.

Shri Chaudhary is scheduled to visit the MSDE Pavilion on 17th February to review the installations, interact with youth participants and engage with stakeholders demonstrating AI-enabled skilling solutions.

On the sidelines of the Summit, the Hon’ble Minister will undertake a series of engagements with global technology leaders, academia and industry partners to deepen collaborations in AI skilling and digital inclusion.

Through its participation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, MSDE reiterates its commitment to ensuring that India’s AI transformation is human-centric, inclusive and employment-oriented, aligned with the broader vision of building a Viksit Bharat where technology expands opportunity and strengthens the nation’s demographic dividend.

EDII Leads The Celebration Of Rural Women Entrepreneurship At weutsav 2026

The vibrancy of India’s rural enterprise ecosystem came alive in Bengaluru as WEutsav, a one-day exhibition celebrating rural women entrepreneurship, was held at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium. The event was supported by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, and organized by WeAct.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. Sunil Shukla (Director General, EDII), in the presence of Mr. Daniel Thomas (Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility), Prof. Dr. Yathindra L, (Director – NIFT), Mr. Pinaki Srimany (Associate Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility), Mr. Suneel Kumar (Joint Director, DIC, Bengaluru), Ms. Kirthika Tharan (Founder, Hepta Senz), and Dr. Raman Gujral(Director, Department of CSR Partnerships, EDII). WEutsav brought together rural women entrepreneurs from 15 states and witnessed a footfall of approximately 2,000+ visitors. With sales worth Rs. 10,00,000, the exhibition unfolded a vibrant array of handmade, craft-based, sustainable products rooted in India’s rich cultural heritage.

Designed as an immersive experience, WEutsav featured state-wise experience zones, live craft demonstrations, cultural performances, and well-curated sales stalls. Visitors engaged directly with women entrepreneurs, witnessing the journey of products from raw material to finished craft, while understanding the stories of resilience, skill, and enterprise behind each creation.

“WEutsav reflects the strength of women entrepreneurs from across India, bringing their enterprise, culture, and innovation to a national platform. At EDII, we are committed to enabling market access, strengthening value chains, and providing the right support systems so that rural women-led businesses become sustainable and scalable within a defined timeframe.”-Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India

At its core, weutsav highlighted the transition from skill development to sustainable entrepreneurship, emphasizing livelihood creation, women’s economic empowerment, and access to markets for rural enterprises. The exhibition was open to the public and offered free entry, attracting students, institutions, corporates, and citizens keen to support women-led rural businesses.

The event also celebrated individual achievements and impact. Weact member Ms. Noorjahan was honoured with the University of Notre Dame Award for Business Building under the Business Initiative, for creating sustainable economic impact through enterprise.

Ms. Sajini and Ms. Renuka were awarded cash prizes of ₹1,70,000 each under the Coca-Cola Microgrant, in recognition of their efforts to create sustainable livelihoods and drive economic empowerment at the grassroots level.

Weutsav further encouraged youth engagement, with participation from 25+ top colleges and 50+ college students in an entrepreneurship-focused initiative aimed at fostering innovation and enterprise thinking. Outstanding student teams were announced as winners and

Recognized for their innovative business ideas, reinforcing the importance of nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Through weutsav, weact reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening rural entrepreneurship ecosystems by providing women entrepreneurs with visibility, market linkages, and recognition, with institutional support and guidance from EDII.

Godrej Enterprises Group Supports India’s Data Centre Ambitions With Scaled Up And Green Ready Solutions

* Addressing the need of this energy intensive sector through Power Infra, Busducts and Green Consulting Solutions~

Godrej Enterprises Group, is accelerating its focus on India’s fast-expanding data centre sector with their integrated offering in the field of Power Infrastructure, Busduct solutions and Green Consultancy Services. With these differentiated solutions in place, the Group’s Energy Solutions business is targeting 10 to 15% revenue from Data centre over the next 3 years, reinforcing its role in enabling the digital backbone of a Viksit Bharat. This growth outlook aligns with the Government of India’s strong policy push to position the country as a global digital infrastructure hub as highlighted during the Union Budget 2026 presentation.

Commenting on this, Raghavendra Mirji, Business Head – Godrej Energy Solutions, says, “India’s data centre sector is entering a high-growth phase, supported by strong policy measures and rising digital infrastructure demand. However, these facilities are also among the most energy-intensive assets being built today. This creates a significant opportunity for our Power Infrastructure business to construct state of the art facilities for ensuring reliable electricity. By pairing our modular Busduct systems with Green Building expertise, we can also help hyperscalers and enterprises scale rapidly in India while cutting energy use, cost, and carbon. With our green consulting expertise and experience in providing electrical solution to large-scale projects, we are well-positioned to support this transition.”

As India’s digital economy scales rapidly, data centres are becoming some of the most energy-intensive infrastructure assets. The Government also introduced a long-term tax holiday and policy support for data centre and cloud infrastructure, underlining the strategic importance of these assets in India’s digital economy. This is expected to create an opportunity for integrated solution providers that can deliver energy-efficient systems and support renewable energy integration at scale. As data centres become increasingly energy-intensive, there is a growing need for dedicated power infrastructure for uninterrupted power, Electrical Busducts to enhance efficiency, reliability and safety & Green Consulting Solutions to achieve the NET- ZERO goals.

Godrej has demonstrated expertise in Greenfield and Colocation Data Centres with various hyperscale and colocation projects executed till date, designed as per IGBC/LEED standards. Godrej has worked with key data centre players across India and successfully completed projects. Further, aiming at enhancing order bank with all leading data centre players in building Power Substations, offering busduct and Green Building Consultancy solutions.

Industry estimates indicate that India’s installed data centre capacity is set to rise significantly, reaching nearly 1.7 GW in the near term, with sustained additions expected in the coming years, driven by digital adoption, AI workloads, data localisation, and expanding cloud infrastructure. Against this backdrop, Godrej Enterprises Group sees data centres as a strategic long-term growth segment and aims to play a pivotal role in building energy-efficient, resilient digital infrastructure that supports India’s ambitions of becoming a global data and technology hub.

About Godrej Enterprises Group:

Since 1897, Godrej Enterprises Group (which includes Godrej & Boyce and its affiliates) has contributed significantly to India’s economic growth and self-reliance by providing complex engineering, design led innovation, and sustainable manufacturing solutions. From the world’s first patented springless lock, and safes to pioneering Indian made typewriters and refrigerators, the conglomerate has also paved the way for the growth of key sectors like aerospace, energy, and security.

Today, Godrej Enterprises Group, has presence across 5 continents with a market-leading presence across diverse consumer and industrial businesses spanning Aerospace, Aviation, Defence, Energy, Locks & Security Solutions, Green Building Consulting, Construction and EPC Services, Intralogistics, Tooling, Healthcare Equipment, Consumer Durables, Engines and Motors, Furniture, Architectural Fittings, IT Solutions and Vending Machines.

To learn more visit: www.godrejenterprises.com

TVS Supply Chain Solutions Signs MoU With Italy-Based ALA Group To Enter India’s $28bn Aerospace& Defence SCM

- Initial focus on India, with potential to evaluate opportunities in other geographies

- TVS SCS to leverage and build on its established Defence and Utilities experience in the United Kingdom alongside its aerospace and power systems operations across India and Asia

TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS) (NSE: TVSSCS, BSE: 543965), a leading global supply chain solutions provider and one of India’s largest and fastest-growing integrated supply chain companies, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ALA Group, an Italy-based global aerospace and defence supply-chain integrator, to collaborate on opportunities in India’s rapidly expanding aerospace and defence sectors. The Aerospace and Defence market in India, estimated at approximately $28 billion, are among the most dynamic and profitable segments within industrial supply chains, driven by sustained demand for complex, regulated, and mission-critical logistics and procurement services.

The MoU establishes a strategic framework for the two companies to jointly pursue aerospace and defence supply chain opportunities, with a particular focus on defence offset programmes. The collaboration will initially focus on India, with potential to evaluate opportunities in other geographies over time.

As part of the proposed collaboration, TVS SCS and ALA Group will jointly provide integrated supply chain services across both production and aftermarket lifecycles for aerospace and defence programmes. TVS SCS will leverage its long-standing defence and utilities supply chain experience gained through its UK operations, together with its strong domestic presence in India. This includes procurement, market access, government and stakeholder engagement, regulatory and licensing expertise, warehousing and logistics infrastructure, digital platforms, and robust local execution capabilities.

TVS SCS will also leverage its operational expertise and long-standing relationships with aerospace and power systems customers across the Asia-Pacific region to support opportunities in India, particularly across aftermarket and in-service supply chains. Currently, TVS SCS’ aerospace, defence and utilities operations generate approximately $140 million in annual revenues, largely anchored in defence and utility programmes in the United Kingdom. ALA Group (with revenues of $345 million in 2024), on the other hand, will contribute its global aerospace and defence domain expertise, technology platforms, and long-standing relationships, especially in the production supply chain with international OEMs and operators across Europe, the US, and the UK, enabling a differentiated, compliant, and scalable value proposition for aerospace and defence stakeholders in India. The partnership provides significant headroom to scale these combined capabilities.

R. Dinesh, Executive Chairman, TVS Supply Chain Solutions, said, “This collaboration with ALA Group reflects our long-term strategy of building globally relevant capabilities in complex and regulated sectors. By combining TVS Supply Chain Solutions’ scale, digital platforms, and strong presence in India with ALA’s aerospace and defence domain expertise, we are positioning the company to participate meaningfully in the evolving global aerospace and defence supply chain ecosystem.”

He further added, “Importantly, this partnership enables us to build on our established aftermarket and in-service supply chain strengths and extend our support to production programmes, particularly in aerospace where these capabilities are increasingly relevant.”

Ravi Viswanathan, Managing Director, TVS Supply Chain Solutions, said, “India’s aerospace and defence sectors are at a clear inflection point, driven by indigenisation and global supply chain realignment. This MoU brings together our proven defence supply chain experience, including in the UK, with ALA’s global aerospace expertise to build a credible and compliant platform for defence offset and aerospace programmes in India, with potential to evaluate opportunities in other international markets.”

Vittorio Genna, CEO and Co-Founder, ALA Group, added, “From the beginning, ALA has focused on combining technical depth, operational excellence, and long-term partnerships. The collaboration with TVS Supply Chain Solutions reflects this vision and creates a solid platform for sustainable growth across multiple regions, supporting both civil and defence aerospace programs.”

The partnership will explore opportunities across end-to-end aerospace and defence supply chain services, spanning production support, spare parts distribution, inventory optimisation, defence-grade logistics solutions, logistics engineering, and aftermarket and MRO support services. These capabilities are aimed at supporting OEMs, MROs, operators, and government stakeholders through resilient and digitally enabled supply chain models across the full programme lifecycle.

Mauro Romano, CEO of ALA MENA said: “TVS Supply Chain Solutions is a highly respected industrial group with proven execution capabilities and deep market access. This partnership allows us to jointly build certified, end-to-end aerospace and defence supply-chain solutions, in India. It is a strategic step in positioning ALA as a global supply-chain system integrator with strong local execution.”

Building on proven Defence and Utilities Credentials

TVS SCS brings deep supply chain experience from its long-standing defence and utility sector operations in the United Kingdom, and accounts for over 30% of the company’s UK business. The company has been supporting leading defence prime contractors for several years, managing approximately 250,000 NATO Stock Numbers (NSNs) and fulfilling around 2.5 million defence demands annually through a global supplier base of over 5,000 vendors. Its defence operations span land, sea, and air platforms and are governed by stringent quality, security, and compliance standards, supported by digitally enabled logistics systems that enhance visibility, resilience, and operational readiness. TVS SCS also works closely with defence prime contractors on multi-year programmes, reinforcing its credentials as a trusted global defence logistics partner.

India is one of the world’s most dynamic defence and aerospace markets, consistently ranking among the top five in global military spending and rapidly growing as a major aviation passenger market. This growth, along with ongoing defence modernisation and supply chain opportunities, has attracted broad interest from global aerospace and defence ecosystems.

ALA Group brings more than 35 years of experience as a specialised aerospace and defence supply-chain integrator, supporting leading OEMs, MROs, and defence programmes across Europe, North America, and selected international markets. Headquartered in Italy, ALA operates a global network of commercial offices and state-of-the-art logistics and kitting facilities, managing over 200,000 SKUs and working with a qualified supplier base of more than 1,500 vendors worldwide. The Group supports a wide range of aerospace and defence platforms across air, land, and naval domains, providing certified spare-parts distribution, inventory optimisation, kitting, Direct Line Feed (DLF), consignment stock, and defence-grade logistics engineering services. ALA’s operations are governed by stringent quality, security, and compliance standards, including EN 9120, EN 9100, and ISO 9001, ensuring full traceability, reliability, and operational readiness. This proven capability positions ALA as a trusted partner for complex, regulated aerospace and defence supply chains, enabling scalable and compliant solutions across multiple geographies.

NPCI Promotes Digital Payments Safety Awareness For Senior Citizens

Digital payments have positively changed everyday life for senior citizens. It has brought convenience by making payment easy for buying groceries, pharmacy purchases or travel bookings. It supports independence by allowing senior citizens to pay on their own without asking family members, especially for small daily needs. It also provides safety and control, as there is less need to carry cash, the risk of loss or theft is lower, and every payment is recorded in transaction history. As digital payments become more common, fraudsters have increased attempts to trick users using social engineering. Common frauds targeting senior citizens are given below:

· Digital Arrest: Fraudsters pose as law enforcement agents and threaten arrest over fake charges and pressurise victims into paying or sharing personal information. It is important to remember that real government and law enforcement agencies will never ask for money or investigate cases through phone or video calls

· Investment Fraud: Scammers often trick senior citizens by impersonating as financial experts. They use fake endorsements from reputed organisations promising extraordinary returns. Once these fraudsters receive the money, they disappear. If an investment sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam

· Phishing/Vishing Scams: These scams involve emails, texts or calls that impersonate trusted entities like banks or government agencies to trick senior citizens into revealing login details, OTPs or other sensitive information

· Tech Support Scams: Scammers call, claiming to be from a tech company saying that there is a virus in the computer. They then trick senior citizens into downloading file(s)/Apps that gives them remote access to steal data or route messages without their knowledge

· Refund and Payment Link Fraud: In such frauds, senior citizens click a link to receive a refund or rebate for an online purchase, which instead leads to a fake page that steals their login or payment data

Simple rules to protect yourself

· Never share sensitive details such as UPI PIN, OTP, passwords, bank account details, or login credentials. Anyone who asks for these is committing fraud

· Do not click unknown links or install apps shared by callers or strangers posting as people of authority. Screen sharing or remote access apps are commonly used to steal data and control your phone

· If an investment sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam. Check SEBI, RBI, or official regulatory websites for registered firms before investing. Look for HTTPS in the web address, check official domain names, and avoid clicking on unsolicited links

· Pause when urgency is created. Messages saying your account will be blocked today, your KYC will expire, your SIM will stop, or your pension will be paused are designed to rush you. Real institutions will allow time to verify

· If you receive unexpected calls or messages about legal issues, you must take a moment to verify. Stay calm. Real government and law enforcement agencies will never ask for money or investigate cases through phone or video calls, and neither will they press you for time

If you suspect fraud, immediately report to the national cybercrime helpline by dialing 1930 or through the Department of Telecommunication (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/). You should also report the case to your bank. Always save messages, take screenshots, and document interactions. Also, do not hesitate to get help from your family members or trusted neighbours before acting on instructions from unknown callers. Digital payments are a strong and safe system. With awareness and calm verification, senior citizens can use them confidently every day.

Mankind Pharma Reinvents Global Supply Chain And Procurement With Accenture

Mankind Pharma, India’s fourth-largest pharmaceutical company, has completed a large-scale, multi-year transformation of its global supply chain and strategic procurement function to strengthen access to medicines, improve supply reliability, and support disciplined, scalable growth. Delivered in collaboration with Accenture, the integrated initiative embeds digitally enabled operating models, powered by advanced analytics and AI, across Mankind Pharma’s procurement, manufacturing and distribution networks. This is enhancing the company’s ability to manage demand volatility, supply disruptions, and regulatory complexities at scale.

This transformation brings together two critical operating pillars into a unified, end-to-end backbone that tightly links planning intelligence with execution performance. Mankind Pharma has reimagined its global supply chain through an integrated planning platform that connects demand forecasting, manufacturing, inventory, and distribution within a near real-time decision framework across more than 25 international markets. Powered by advanced analytics and AI-augmented insights, the platform has strengthened forecast accuracy, improved cross-functional alignment, and enabled faster, more responsive planning and execution. In parallel, the company completed an 18-month overhaul of its strategic sourcing and procurement function, reinforcing cost discipline, governance, and supplier collaboration through standardized processes, digital automation, and analytics-led decision-making.

The impact has been tangible and measurable. The customized planning and execution platform deployed across 30 manufacturing facilities and more than 50 distribution centers, has reduced drug stock-outs by 75 per cent and optimized inventory by up to 20 per cent across Mankind Pharma’s global distribution network. The platform has enhanced decision-making, and improved coordination across commercial, manufacturing and supply teams. This has strengthened supply chain performance at scale while maintaining the highest standards of quality and compliance.

Alongside this, the procurement transformation initiative has structurally elevated sourcing as a core business capability for Mankind Pharma. The company clarified sourcing ownership and standardized end-to-end processes to improve efficiency and governance. Digital tools now automate routine activities, enabling teams to focus on strategic decisions and supplier partnerships, while advanced analytics give leadership sharper visibility into spending, supplier performance and supply chain risks. Together, these changes have delivered sustainable cost efficiencies while safeguarding quality, compliance, and supply continuity.

Arjun Juneja, Chief Operating Officer, Mankind Pharma Ltd., said: “Ensuring uninterrupted access to quality medicines today requires value chains that are intelligent, digitally enabled, and resilient by design. At Mankind, we have reimagined the traditional value chain into a life chain—built to serve patients, not just processes. By integrating demand, procurement, manufacturing, inventory management, and execution through advanced analytics and AI-augmented insights, we have strengthened our ability to anticipate demand, manage volatility, and respond with speed and precision across markets. This transformation goes beyond efficiency, delivering sharper visibility, stronger control, and quality and compliance by design. It enables us to scale responsibly and sustainably, reinforcing our commitment to Availability, Quality, and Affordability, while building long-term resilience into our operations.”

Jignesh Vora, managing director and lead - Life Sciences, Accenture in India, said, “Working closely with Mankind Pharma, Accenture helped reimagine and strengthen the company’s operating model for the long term. By combining AI-led, data-driven capabilities with deep life sciences and supply chain expertise, we enabled a more predictive and resilient supply chain and procurement ecosystem—driving better decision-making at scale, improving access to medicines, and supporting sustainable growth in a volatile and regulated environment.”

This global supply chain and strategic procurement transformation reinforces Mankind Pharma’s commitment to operational excellence, disciplined execution, and long-term resilience, while remaining anchored to its purpose of improving access to quality and affordable medicines. As healthcare systems continue to evolve, the transformation positions the company to respond with agility, consistency, and scale, strengthening trust among patients, partners, and stakeholders across India and global markets.

About Mankind Pharma

Mankind Pharma (BSE: 543904 | NSE: MANKIND) is one of the largest pharmaceutical company in India, which focuses on the domestic market with its Pan India presence. Mankind operates at the intersection of the Indian pharmaceutical formulations and consumer healthcare sectors with the aim of providing quality products at affordable prices. The company is a leading player in the domestic pharmaceuticals business present across acute and chronic therapeutic areas including anti-infectives, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, antidiabetic, neuro/CNS, gynecology, VMN and respiratory, among others with a strategy to increase chronic presence going ahead. In the consumer healthcare business, the company operates in condoms, pregnancy detection, emergency contraceptives, antacid powders, vitamin and mineral supplements and anti-acne preparations categories, among others, with several category-leading brands. Following the acquisition of Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited, Mankind Pharma has further strengthened its leadership in the domestic women’s health segment. Mankind's distribution network includes a robust field force of 17,700+ professionals, and a reach extending to over five lakh doctors across urban and rural markets. The company has 32 manufacturing facilities manufacturing a wide range of dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, syrups, vials, ampoules, blow fill seal, soft and hard gels, eye drops, creams, contraceptives and other over-the-counter products. Mankind has a consistent track record of product innovation through 6 dedicated R&D facilities backed by more than 730 scientists.

India Drives Global Growth For Natural Diamond Jewellery As Tier 2 And Tier 3 Cities Gain Momentum

India’s natural diamond jewellery market is witnessing robust growth, with demand value reaching approximately INR 80,000 crore in 2024, according to insights shared by De Beers Group during CEO Al Cook’s recent visit to India.

India has become the world’s second-largest natural diamond jewellery market, accounting for 12% of global demand value in 2024, up from 8% in 2021. India recorded 12% year-on-year growth, highlighting the market’s resilience and structural strength.

Long recognised as the global hub for diamond cutting and polishing, processing over 90% of worldwide diamond volumes, India is increasingly shaping the demand side of the industry. Rising consumer confidence, higher disposable incomes and aspirational spending are extending diamond adoption well beyond metropolitan centres. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities now account for more than one-third of India’s natural diamond jewellery demand, supported by the rapid expansion of organised retail, broader access to financing and deeper consumer awareness.

Indian consumers are also trading up in value. The average price of a diamond jewellery piece increased from INR 1.24 lakh in 2022 to INR 1.41 lakh in 2024, while the average size of the largest diamond in a piece rose from 0.64 carats to 0.79 carats over the same period. Diamond ownership among Indian women reached 15% in 2024, reflecting steady growth in household penetration.

Commenting on India’s strategic importance, Al Cook, CEO, De Beers Group, said, “India represents the strongest growth opportunity for natural diamonds globally. Rising incomes, a rapidly expanding middle class and a deepening emotional connection with natural diamonds as symbols of enduring value are reshaping the market. India is expected to remain a key engine of global diamond growth, with demand continuing to expand across cities and generations.”

Reflecting De Beers Group’s long-standing focus on transparency and consumer trust, recently published Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) guidelines on diamond nomenclature and disclosure are expected to further strengthen confidence in the Indian.

With India’s GDP and personal disposable income projected to grow at approximately 11% annually in the near term, natural diamond jewellery being both the most desired gift to receive and the most desired purchase to make for oneself, and high-income households on the rise, the outlook for natural diamonds remains robust. The market’s younger, more regionally diverse consumer base, including Gen Z and Millennials, signals growing adoption of self-purchase, everyday diamond jewellery, and long-term brand engagement.

As demand broadens geographically and regulatory frameworks reinforce transparency, India is set to continue anchoring the global diamond value chain while driving the next phase of market growth.

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.